Reading Jaune Ryu-Long:Dragon contractor
by dirtrevor
Summary: I've seen many other gods(writers) show people from one dimension an alternate one of theirs. Well, I suppose it's my turn because I don't like the direction one universe is going. Written with permission from azndrgn. I don't own RWBY or anything else I use in my stories.
1. prologue

Jaune sighed aloud as he laid down on his bed, staring at nothing. Ren was helping Nora make grenades and making sure that they don't accidentally go off. Pyrrha absentmindedly cleaned her weapons as she stared at Jaune with worry.

"Jaune," Pyrrha asked. "Are you alright? You've been staring at the ceiling for an hour."

Jaune sat up and looked over at Pyrrha. He gave a small smile and said. "It's nothing major Pyrrha. It's just." He gave a frustrated sigh. "I wanna know what my semblance is." Nora and Ren stopped and looked at their leader. Jaune got up and started pacing "We're a semester into the school year and I'm still no closer to finding out what it is when I first started looking!" Jaune stopped and let out a heavy sigh. "It's just so . . . frustrating because it feels like its right in front of my face but I can't see it." Jaune then closed his eyes as he tilted his head up.

Pyrrha walked over and place her hand on his shoulder. Jaune looked back to see his partner give him a reassuring smile. "It's alright Jaune. Not everyone discovers their semblance so soon, and, uh." Pyrrha hesitated as she looked at the door to see if anyone's listening. "I didn't discover my semblance till the final round of my first tournament and I had my aura unlocked since I was 10."

Jaune's eyes widened at the new information. The resident ninja of the group added his two cents. "I have to agree with Pyrrha. I had my aura unlocked for about 9 years and I had my semblance for 5 years."

The bomber interjected. "I actually got lucky. I discovered my semblance when I got hit by lightning a couple months after my aura was unlocked. I didn't know how it worked exactly until I punched an Ursa major."

Ren let out a tired sigh and muttered. "I swear my heart stopped that day."

Meanwhile, Jaune was smiling at his friends opening up to him but then he had a flat look on his face. "Something wrong?" Pyrrha asked, wondering what happened to his mood.

Jaune walked over to the door and opened it. All of team RWBY fell down in front of Jaune. "Must you always eavesdrop on us?" He said, annoyed at their antics. Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren gave a small glare at their sister-team.

"It was all Yang's idea!" Ruby shouted out in panic. Said blond looked at Ruby with shock/anger. Weiss and Blake simply rolled their eyes

Before anything else could happen, an announcement sounded out. "Would teams RWBY and JNPR report to the headmaster's office, I repeat Teams RWBY and JNPR report to the headmaster's office," Glynda said through the speakers throughout the school.

"What did you do this time, Ruby?" Weiss demanded.

"ME?!" The little reaper yelled, completely surprised and angry. "Why do you think I did something wrong?! I was with you guys the whole time!" She said as she pointed at her team.

"She's got you there." Yang pointed out.

"Let's get going before into more trouble," Blake said, being the rational one of the group. Everyone agreed and they headed off toward headmaster Ozpin's office.

As they passed other students, many of them were talking about a possible new student.

"It's just one guy. Is he going join another team?"

"I wonder what weapons he uses; I didn't see any on him."

"He actually looked pretty handsome. I wonder if he'll take me out if I ask."

The two teams looked amongst each other in confusion; none of them have any idea on what they're talking about. "Think this new guy has to do with why we're called up?" Yang asked; her curiosity getting the better of the brawler.

"It's possible." Blake agreed.

"Oh oh," Nora exclaimed. "What if he's from another dimension and he'll show us a world where Jaune Jaune's super awesome?!" Everyone stared at Nora like she's crazy which she is a lot of the time.

"As nice as that thought is, let's hurry up. I don't wanna be in trouble." Jaune said, getting everyone back on track.

They arrived at the elevator and went up in two groups, JNPR went up first. The doors opened up to show the floors are made of glass, showing the guts of the tower. The team stepped out and looked around in amazement. They heard someone clear their throat and look over to see Ozpin, Ms. Goodwitch, and a third person.

The third person is a teen with a thin frame but it's hard to tell with the big, blue coat he has on. The coat is unzipped, letting them see the black shirt underneath tucked into his jeans. The jeans itself has several holes in them, the larger ones patched with cloth from other pants but on the inside of the pants instead. The teen's eyes couldn't be seen because of the aviator-like sunglasses he has on. His hair is so short it doesn't look like it needs to be combed at all.

"Professor Ozpin, who's this?" The leader of the team asked.

"I'll tell ya after the other team gets up here." The newcomer answered. Glynda was ready to scold him but held her tongue. Shortly after, team RWBY exited the elevator. The second team looked around with the same wonder as the first group. "Alright," The teen continued. "Now that everyone is here; I can do this." He then snapped his fingers and everyone was blinded by a flash of light.

Once it died down, the two teams and professors saw they were not back the headmaster's office. The new room was very large and had steel walls with no paint, lights at each of the corners, a door on one wall, a large bookcase on the far left corner, and several couches nearby with tv in front of said couches.

"Ok," Yang said with uncertainty. "Why did he bring us here?"

"It can't be to kill us." Jaune said, "He could've easily done that back at the tower." The two teams were surprised at his reasoning.

"Well said Mr. Arc. Good analytical skills." Ozpin complimented.

Jaune rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "It's common sense, really." He then looked annoyed. "Sometimes I wonder if people don't have any common sense." Ozpin then grumbled something about the council.

"Too true my friend, too true."

Everyone's heads swerved to see the same man the brought them here enter through the door, smiling.

The teen clapped his hands. "Ok, before we do anything else, let's take care of introductions. You can call me Trevor."

Everyone agreed though some did with reluctance.

"I am known as headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy," Ozpin said.

"With a fortitude so strong, I wonder how he's not bouncing off the walls like Professor Oobleck," Trevor said.

"Doctor!" A voice said, coming from everywhere at once. Everyone, including Trevor and the professors, were startled by the voice.

"Ok, then" Trevor shakily said. "Let's keep going."

"I am his assistant, Glynda Goodwitch." The green-eyed woman said next.

"More like the Headmistress of the school in all but name." Trevor joked. Yang and Nora laughed, while Glynda muttered about not getting paid enough.

"Hello! I'm Nora! Do you like pancakes?" Nora asked quickly. Trevor chuckled at the question.

"Yeah, I like pancakes, though pancakes and waffles are the same as they can be made from the same batter, after all." Ren silently agreed while Nora yelled "Blasphemy!" as she pointed at him.

"Lie Ren," The ninja simply said. "Nora's partner."

"Who's head over heels for ya," Trevor responded. Ren closed his eyes and said nothing while Nora's blush was as red as Ruby's cloak as she sputtered out denials.

"Hello," The Spartan started. "I'm Pyrrha Nikos."

"Four-time Minstrel champion graduated at the top of her class at Sanctum, and is on the front of Pumpkin Pete's cereal boxes." Trevor interrupted. Pyrrha frowned, thinking he was a fan. He continued "And frankly: I don't care." Pyrrha was surprised at this. "She's still a person, after all. Besides, I judge a person by their personality, likes, dislikes, and actions; though I do admit that I am guilty of judging a book by its cover. And besides, I've seen stuff that blows your achievements out of the water." He finished with a smirk on his face. Pyrrha sighed and smiled, perhaps he wasn't so bad.

Yang wondered what he meant by that and asked. The teen smiled and said, "I'll show you a few anime later, including one of my favorites." Yang gave a toothy smile and rubbed her hands together.

Jaune stepped up. "My name's Jaune Arc, the leader of Team JNPR." He said with a sheepish smile.

"A man with SO much potential," Trevor exclaimed "Seriously! The rate you learn is unbelievable, you learn what takes most people years and you learn it in months at worst!" Jaune looked away and rubbed the back of his head.

Yang confidently stepped up. "The name's Yang Xiao Long. I like puns, fighting and all around being a badass."

"Who still has her V-card," Trevor Said with a mischievous smirk. Yang's face turned bright red and sputtered, a few others blushed as well, Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance while Ozpin sighed. Trevor chuckled and said. "Moving on."

Weiss walked up next, thankful for the distraction. "I am Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company." She said as she curtsied.

"Who did a one-eighty personality-wise so fast I wondered if the real Weiss was swapped for a clone," Trevor said. Weiss cringed at the memories of when she first got to Beacon.

"Blake Belladonna." The girl said flatly.

"The secret Faunus," Trevor said, Blake's eyes widened in surprise. He continued "I was surprised when I first found out, then again; no one was looking for details like that. Besides, your bow makes you look like you have cat ears, the bow twitches sometimes, and you have cat eyes." Blake realized his point and took off her bow. She sighed in resignation and relief as her ears were cramping up.

"Hi! My name's Ruby Rose! I'm Yang's little sister, even though we look nothing alike." The energetic girl said.

"And the cutest person in all of Beacon." Trevor teased. Ruby blushed in embarrassment and looked away.

"OK!" Trevor said loudly to get everyone's attention. "Now that that's over, I'll tell you why I brought you all here." Everyone stared at the teen with sunglasses, waiting. "The reason is to show you a different dimension where things could have turned out. Though that's one reason, I'll tell you the other after I get some more people and we get started. Be right back" And he left before anyone could say anything.

Weiss was very upset at his reasoning. "He ripped us from our worlds, potentially causing a disaster in the process all just to show us ANOTHER DIMENSION?!" She yelled out, Blake covered one pair of ears at the volume. Some like Ms. Goodwitch agreed with the white girl.

"Calm down everyone," Ozpin said. "I can tell this man doesn't want that kind of thing to happen."

"I guess we wait for now," Jaune said. Weiss and a few others huffed/sighed and waited for the strange man return.

[Hr]

 **Done! Whew! The hard part was coming up with how to start this. Also thank you all so much for all the support on 'Different views'; it is literally two favorites away from 100! Anyway, the title is in the works; if you have a better one or think its fine the way it is, let me know. Also, thanks to azndrgn for letting I do this.**

 **I hope you all enjoy this! I also hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving. Rate and Review!**


	2. Chapter 1

The two teams we're talking about what they think about the mysterious man and who he's kidna-bringing back with him. Ozpin simply watched in amusement. Glynda was reading a book from the shelves called Percy Jackson: the lightning thief.

Another flash of light went off behind the couch. They all look to see Winter Schnee, Qrow Branwen, and James Ironwood. The mentioned three looked around with surprise.

They were knocked out of it when a flying Ruby shouted "Uncle Qrow!" the man was then tackled to the ground, not prepared at all. The black-haired man looked at his chest to see Ruby with her arms wrapped around him and she simply said "Hi. Didja miss me?"

He smirked and said. "Nope." But they both knew that was a lie. "Now, could you get off squirt? I'd like to get up." Ruby quickly got up and helped her uncle up.

Weiss walked over to her sister and said. "Winter!" The younger sister hugged the older and said. "It's so nice to see you again."

Winter was surprised at the display of affection but returned the hug with a smile. "It's nice to see you too, Weiss. But where are we?"

"You're on board a ship called the Avenger." Everyone looked over to see Trevor leaning in the doorway again. "You three want to know what's going on, right." The adults nodded. Trevor sighed and said, "Well, let me give you the short version." He then explained the situation and his reasoning but didn't reveal all of his reasons.

Ironwood looks like he is going to strangle the boy while Winter couldn't believe what she is hearing. Qrow let out a sigh and said: "I wish I have my flask with me."

"Now that everyone is here, take a seat on the couch so we can get started, and before anyone can ask, the TV is for visual aid." He then walked over to the couch and waited. Everyone either sat down on the couch or stood nearby. Trevor spoke up again. "Who wants to read first?" Ruby raised her hand. Trevor passed the book to her and she opened it to the first chapter.

 _ **Chapter 1: The Legend Begins**_

 _ **In the ancient times of Remnant, when neither humans nor Grimm existed, there were a variety of species living there. From the smallest ant inside its home to the heavenly beings that flew the sky, they all existed. However, there was one species that stood apart from them all. They were powerful that only a few could oppose them. They were the Dragon Race.**_

Ruby let out a long 'oooh' as she read the tale, the rest of the students, teacher, and specialist listened with varying level of curiosity as well; Ozpin partially paid attention. Ironwood listened with a raised eyebrow.

 _ **History has always depicted dragons as beings of power. This was true, as they were they ruler of Remnant of long past. Soon, the 'god of light' and 'god of darkness' started to wage war against each other. The two brothers quarreled, and the land they fought upon would always be wastelands. However, the other species took solace in where the dragons resided. For not even the brothers dared to openly fight in there.**_

The students stared in awe at the power of the dragons. Ozpin mused aloud "Truly beings of great power if the two brothers themselves are afraid."

 _ **Even when the younger brother of darkness created Grimms, the dragons took no notice of them. Legends say that it was the older brother who put his foot down after the creation of Grimm, but that was far from the truth.**_

Ozpin stopped mid-sip and stared at the screen with even greater interest. Weiss questioned, "I thought that the older brother was upset when the Grimm were created?"

"That's how the legend always went." Glynda agreed she hmm'd.

 _ **It was when creature the younger brother had created decided to attack a young hatchling did they make a mistake. The Grimm tried to take the form of a dragon to trick the hatchling away from its nest. However, it was stopped when the nesting mother came forth and almost killed the Grimm. The Grimm dragon fled for its life. The dragons were furious and brought their wrath to the older brother of light with an ultimatum. Either he stopped his younger brother and both leave Remnant forever, or the god of darkness would cease to exist. The brothers knew that the dragons had the power to do so.**_

"Whoa." Said by an astonished Yang; the rest nodded in agreement or said nothing. 'These dragons are beings not to be trifled with.' Ozpin thought. He then started to wonder if this tale was true.

 _ **Unwilling to have his brother die as well as also disliking what his brother had created, the god of light forced his younger brother to apologize. It was then; he proposed to create one final creation together.**_

 _ **Interested, the dragons watched them create humanity; the ability to choose life or destruction. When humanity had become self-sufficient, did the brothers obey and leave Remnant. The dragons watched as humanity slow grow. Soon, Faunus also came forth through another creation of another 'god'. Still, the dragons were content in observing, so long as they weren't disturbed. After a while, many of the dragons decided it was also time for them to leave Remnant, and let the age of humans come forth. However, before they left, some of the dragon-kings of their elements made contact with a clan of humans and Faunus they viewed as respectable. From there, the Dragon Clan was born. Being able to wield the powers of dragons, they grew in size and power. Each member had different types of power, depending on what their souls contracted to what elemental dragons.**_

"That is so awesome!" Nora said with childish glee as she bounced in her seat. Ruby eagerly agreed with the bomber and wanted to see what kind of weapons they had.

"Those contracts seem like such a dragon." Yang punned and quickly received a pillow to the face via Blake while everyone else groaned.

 _ **After the contract had been made, the dragons left Remnant. Many years passed, and the Dragon Clan became extinct due to all kinds of assaults, ranging from jealousy to fear to discrimination as well. Some of the legends today can be traced back to the Dragon clan, although many people have forgotten about that clan. Some say the silver-eye warriors were a descendant of the light dragon contracts. One legend could even say that the wizard who gave the four season maidens their power was a dragon in disguise.**_

 _"_ Wow," Ruby said. "Am I a descendant of the dragon clan?" The huntress wondered aloud.

Weiss admitted. "As much as I want to refute that, I don't have any proof." Winter nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Ozpin cupped his chin in thought. 'If this is true then that would explain where exactly the maidens came from.'

 _ **None of these could be proven, though, and the legend of dragons was lost in time. However, its blood was carried through the human bloodline, and the potential for the Dragon Clan to arise again came forth at a young boy.**_

"What is Jaune doing in this dimension?" Yang asked.

 **A young blonde boy about ten years old was lying down on the field, crying. This young boy's name was Jaune Arc. Or rather, was Jaune Arc. Right now, his father, Vlad Arc, was debating on whether or not to let the boy even use the Arc name. The boy just couldn't learn the Arc style of fighting. His muscle structure and bone structure wouldn't allow him to wield the style to its full potential. It involved pouring all your power into strikes, weaving your blade in arcs. When done correctly, the enemy would be unable to stop its progress. However, when Jaune tried to follow this style, his father found out that he was lacking in power. Even with all the training, he put Jaune through, Jaune was unable to create arcs of unstoppable power like the rest of his family who were huntresses. His seven sisters were able to at least perform the basics of the Arc style, even if they weren't all fighters. Vlad didn't even consider telling Jaune about Aura at all. If one couldn't perform the basics of the Arc style, then he considered that Jaune wasn't worthy of it.**

 **"How did I end up with a son like you?!" Vlad spat out angrily.**

"This guy is already on my 'beat up' list." Yang angrily said as her semblance activated.

Ruby growled as she glared. "He keeps this up then I'll personally introduce him to the blade of crescent rose." Everyone except for Yang stared at the young leader in shock.

Yang answered. "Yeah; Ruby really holds a grudge against those she despises."

Jaune sighed; happy his actual dad isn't like that at all.

 **Vlad then kept belittling, telling Jaune he was failing his ancestors, failing the Arc name. That he would not take Jaune to get his own weapon, even if he was of age. It was important for any Arc hunter to find out what weapon suited them the best at a young age. That way, they could truly master and bond with their weapon. In the Arc tradition, when the child came of age, they would be accompanied to a well-known blacksmith, where they could see the process of their weapons being crafted. After going through a few pre-made models as well as designing their own weapon, then they would have their weapons crafted by the best blacksmith money could buy. This was done to allow the children to see all the hard work that went into crafting their chosen weapon, to allow them to understand the privilege of wielding a weapon.**

 **Jaune Arc would not get that privilege. His father had deemed him unworthy, even if it was a tradition within their family. Sure, there might be complaints, but Vlad Arc always had his way. He didn't want to break tradition, but he sure as hell wasn't going to allow. . . "that boy" the right to have his own weapon. Jaune's family begged Vlad to reconsider that maybe unlocking his aura would prove something. His seven sisters begged Vlad to at least consider it, but nobody wanted to oppose him. He had an iron grip on what happened within the family. His mother, Yu Arc, had no control over her husband's actions either.**

Pyrrha ground her teeth in anger at the man. The rest of the students including the older women glared hatefully at what they heard. Ozpin took a sip from his mug to keep calm. Qrow grit his teeth in anger, 'against the law or not, I'm going to make sure he gets some very bad luck.' Ironwood sneered at what he heard.

 **Soon, Vlad returned, along with the rest of the Arc family. With him were a shield and sword.** _ **Crocea Mors**_ **, an ancient blade used by the Arc ancestors. However, it had no special functions when compared to modern weaponry. Unable to transform at all, it provided no range attacks. The shield could transform into a sheath, but that was the extent to it. The weapon itself had been gathering dust in the attic, lost and forgotten until Yu Arc found it. Since Vlad was so committed to following his decision, she appealed to him to at least allow Jaune a weapon. Since it didn't cost him anything and was making room in the attic, Vlad complied. The blade was covered with dust, and the hilt of it was ragged and covered with a simple cloth over its rusty parts.**

 **"Jaune Arc. The Arc family has never had anyone who could not even master the basics of the Arc style of fighting. You have shown that you are unable to even wield this style. Therefore, I, Vlad Arc, banish you from the Arc family! Let it be known today that you are not Jaune Arc anymore, you are just Jaune. You are not my son! You have 24 hours to depart from this land. You will never call yourself an Arc again," declared Vlad Arc.**

"I'm going to break his legs!" Yelled a very angry Nora as she shook with anger.

"Nora," Ren said. The ginger bomber was ready for Ren to calm her down but she was not prepared for what he said next. "Leave the arms for me." The pink-eyed ninja said with a tiny smile and eyes full of hatred. Nora's surprised look morphed into an evil grin.

"I think I'll chaperone," Qrow said to the two with an evil smile as well.

Glynda would have been concerned about their behavior but the thought of chaperoning seemed more appealing by the second. Jaune simply made a fist as he said nothing.

 **He tossed** _ **Corcea Mors**_ **to Jaune along with the shield. The shield, however, had been slathered with black paint over the middle, covering the usual Arc symbol, to prevent anyone from identifying him as an Arc.**

 **"No!"**

 **"Are you serious, Dad?"**

 **"He's too young!"**

 **"Silence!" shouted Vlad, "I have made my decision, and you will follow it!"**

 **The sisters became silent, though they were all steaming in anger. The eldest, Xanthe Arc, was only 17 and was not an adult yet. Still, she swore as soon as she was 18 that she would find Jaune and take him in, even if she had to split time from Beacon academy to be with him. Perhaps Ozpin could allow him to stay as an intern; family was family, and in her view, they should be together. Still, that was a year away, and a lot could happen within a year.**

'Thanks, sis.' The blond boy thought to himself. Ruby set the book down and hugged her sister for comfort. Weiss did the same with Winter and Nora with Ren. Trevor closed his eyes very tightly and took deep breaths.

 **Jaune couldn't stop his tears from shedding after hearing his heartless father's decision. Soon, he had everything he owned as well as any items he could carry to survive in the wilderness. As Jaune was about to depart, Yu stopped him for a bit.**

 **"I'm so sorry," cried Yu, "So sorry." She proceeded to hug him. His seven sisters had already come by and say their goodbyes, promising that they would rescue him when they were old enough.**

 **"I couldn't convince your father to stop, but I can give you something to help you. The sword and shield are from your father, who I convinced to allow you to have something to defend with. I will unlock your Aura for you, at the very least."**

 **"Aura?" asked Jaune.**

 **Yu nodded her head before giving him a large Scroll tablet and a solar charger for it. "This has everything you need to know as a Huntsman, as well as some basic information on how to live in the wilderness. I know you still dream to become one. Now Jaune, close your eyes and concentrate," said Yu as she placed her hand on his cheeks. Then she began to recite the words. These words felt like it gave power and hope.**

"I really hope there are some survival books in the scroll," Pyrrha said, praying to the brother of light to help Jaune. Ruby hugged her sister for comfort as Nora did the same with Ren and Weiss with Winter. Glynda took her glasses off to wipe away the tears. Ozpin closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths. 'What has humanity become?' He thought. 'Actions like these make me wonder if we are worse than the Grimm.'

 **"** _ **For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I r**_ **-"**

 **"Stop," commanded a voice. Jaune and Yu turned around to see Vlad, very angry.**

 **"You were only allowed to give him one blessing, and that was the sword and shield," said Vlad as he strode over, separating both of them.**

 **"But . . . wasn't that yours?" asked Yu.**

 **Vlad grinned creepily, "I gave him the right to live in exile. That should be enough. However, looking back at it now, I feel like I was too generous. Got to make sure nobody traces you to us; can't have a weakling like you be known to be connected to me."**

 **At this, he grabbed Jaune by his hair, forcing him to look up. Vlad then roughly put his hand on his cheek before reciting his lines. These lines, however, gave him despair.**

 **"** _ **For it is in passing that you understand your failures. Through this, you become a paragon of dishonor and condemnation for all to see. Finite at distance and bound to death, I bind your soul, and under my foot, forsake thee."**_

The students had worried looks while the adults were disgusted and angry at what they're seeing. Ozpin's grip on his mug was steadily increasing. "What's that one for?" Blake questioned in paranoia. "It doesn't sound like any aura chant I've heard of."

Ozpin answered with barely contained rage. "It was created to lock up the aura of criminals deemed too dangerous with aura. Not for children!" He shouted the last three words. The students stared at the screen in horror.

 **Jaune screamed as he felt his basic life force slipping away. It became harder and harder to breathe. It felt like he was being jammed into a tiny box.**

 **"You're killing him!" screamed Yu, causing all seven sisters to scramble towards Jaune. However, Vlad stabbed his sword into the ground, causing them all to cease.**

 **"I'm merely binding his soul. He's a disgrace to the Arc, so I'm making sure nobody can release his aura except me. If he dies, then it's not my fault," spat Vlad as he turned around, "You're all not allowed to help him. If he gets through it, then he can get his sorry ass out of my land. It's up to him now."**

 **He gave Jaune one last look before spitting him on the face. He grinned as he walked away. Finally! The weakling was gone! Perhaps his mistress's son could be the heir. That boy certainly took the Arc style much better than that weakling. His wife certainly gave all the good parts to his daughters.**

 **Aura, even when it wasn't unlocked, would always stream within the body. However, what Vlad did was completely binding it inside his body, not even letting it leak out. Jaune would now be the weakest human alive. Even if Jaune lived through this, he wouldn't live for any longer in the outside world. The Grimm or any bandit would make quick work of him without even trying. And with all the negativity Jaune was bound to have, it would Jaune would be lucky if he lasted two days.**

To say everyone was pissed would be an understatement. . . They were absolutely livid. For Weiss and Winter, this hit way too close to home as they both had a look on their face that would scare a demon. Blake's and Pyrrha's auras were easily seen, fluctuating in size and intensity because of the anger they both felt. For Ruby-

"THAT SON OF A BITCH! I'M GOANNA TEAR THAT MOTHERFUCKER APART AND FEED WHAT'S LEFT OF THE BASTARD'S CORPSE TO THE GRIMM!"

It's taking all of Yang's strength to hold her back while the Reaper is trying not to rip the book apart with the classic anime angry face on, shark teeth and all. Nora and Ren are in the same situation but Nora's screams are more . . . primal. It takes a lot for Ozpin to get angry but this takes the cake as the headmaster brows are creased together while he's gripping his cane so tight it might break. Glynda is about ready to commit murder. Jaune swore to himself that if this man tried anything with his friends and family, he'd kill him without a second thought.

Once everyone calmed down enough to be coherent, Ruby started to read again.

 **However, as Vlad walked away, he felt a sudden chill go over him. It was as if someone ancient was staring at him in disgust and anger. It wasn't pure rage, but it was enough to make him stop. He looked back to see Jaune's body floating in the air now, aura flowing out of his body like a flood. Soon, it seemed to form a dragon's head.**

Ruby realized what was going on. "The dragons." She quietly said in amazement. No one said a thing.

 **"Impossible! He shouldn't have any Aura! I bound it within his body!" said Vlad. He quickly turned to the rest of his family, "Did you do something to him when I forbade it!? And what creature is this?"**

 **"** ** _Foolish human,"_** **said a voice. It seemed like there were seven voices all talking at once, at the same time, "** ** _This is something that was in this boy long ago, something ancient and rare. Since you have shown clear distaste for your son, we will take him to raise him as our own. Do not even attempt to find him. You have already broken a cardinal rule, never awaken a sleeping dragon. However, we will be... merciful this time as it allowed us to finally reach one of our people. The next time, will not be so."_**

 **A bright flash of light blinded them all, and when their eyes readjusted to the light, Jaune was gone, along with his stuff.**

 **"Humph, a lowly creature, warning me? I have no need to worry," muttered Vlad Arc as he turned to head home.**

"Oh, that is so coming back to bite him in the ass," Yang said in glee with a mean grin on her face. Ruby rubbed her hands together and giggled evilly; a grin promising pain on her face. Let it be said that Ruby believes people like Vlad are Grimm in human form.

"Those dragons should've killed him right then and there." Jaune, of all people, said. The teams and teachers were surprised by his attitude. "We all have an evil bone, don't we?"

 **Jaune had no idea where he was. All he knows was that he had been at home in pain. Then suddenly broke through the barrier by pure force with the emotion of anger at the forefront. The power cuddled around as if protecting him from evil. Jaune blinked again to see that he was lying down on a patch of grass. However, around him, was an empty void.**

 **"Where am I? Am I dead?" Jaune asked himself.**

 **"** ** _No, but you were about to, and you might still be once we're done with you,"_** **grumbled a voice. Its voice seemed to be very deep and sounded like someone who had lived through centuries.**

 **"Who's there!?" shouted Jaune, "Please, don't hurt me."**

The teams and adults stared at Jaune. "What?" Jaune questioned. "I'm in a place I don't recognize, there are people-er dragons talking to me and I can't see them. Plus I'm 10 years old, ok? Of course, I'd be scared" Many nodded as they couldn't fault him for his logic.

 **"** ** _HA HA! This human is funny!"_** **said another voice, "** ** _We just saved him, and he thinks we're here to hurt him!"_**

 **"** ** _Don't be so rude. It's understandable that he's afraid since he doesn't know who we are, nor does it help he doesn't see us. Add to the fact that he's merely a child,"_** **chided a female voice.**

 **"Then-n sh-show yourselves!" cried out Jaune.**

 **"** ** _As you wish then,"_** **said the voice.**

 **The light brightened, causing Jaune to close his eyes. As his eyes adjusted, he noticed he was surrounded by 7 different dragons. Some looked like the Eastern style dragons; others took on the Western style dragons. Some had wings, others didn't. He stared at them all in awe.**

"They look so awesome!" Nora shouted with glee. Ruby, as expected, agreed with much enthusiasm. Yang chuckled and rubbed her hands together at the thought of riding an actual dragon into battle.

 **"What are you?" asked Jaune.**

 **"** ** _Hmph. Your education is sorely lacking. We are dragons. The original rulers of Remnant until our departure"_** **muttered the fierce red-scaled dragon.**

 **"** ** _Based on his expression as well as his family's expression when they saw a dragon's head, I think it's safe to say that they don't know what dragons are,"_** **replied the green feathery female dragon.**

 **"** ** _In short kid, we're awesome and you should bow to us!"_** **laughed a black-scaled male dragon.**

Qrow likes this dragon's attitude, and Glynda, Ironwood, and Winter sighed at thinking they have to deal with a second Qrow until this is over.

 **"** ** _That's not even a proper attitude,"_** **scolded the yellow-scaled female dragon.**

 **"** ** _I suppose we should introduce ourselves to our young contract holder,"_** **said a majestic blue-scaled dragon**

 **"Contract holder?" asked Jaune.**

 **"** ** _Indeed, young one,"_** **said a green feathery female dragon, "** ** _Only one of a specific descent may even make a contract with us. Although I find it unusual that you are able to all seven of us, especially dragon-king tier."_**

 **"Contract? Dragon? Descent?" asked Jaune, who was completely confused, "What do those mean?"**

 **"** ** _Great. So he's stupid,"_** **said the brown-scaled dragon.**

 **"** ** _Now, now,"_** **said a white-scaled male dragon, "** ** _He's only ten. And from what we gleaned from what we saw, his father didn't really take much on educating him. In short, due to your vast aura reserves, which I must say is quite impressive even for someone your age, along with the blood of the Dragon Clan which has been diluted quite a bit through time, it has combined, resulting in being able to form a contract with us as your 'Semblance', you could say. With your power, the Dragon Clan will once more walk on Remnant."_**

 **Jaune's head was spinning. He still couldn't quite understand everything, but he managed to get a general idea.**

 **"So something of a miracle happened, and so now I can make contracts with you all?" summarized Jaune.**

Hearing the massive aura brought a question to everyone's mind. "Pyrrha," Weiss questioned. "You said you got a look at his aura, correct?" Pyrrha nodded, understanding where the heiress was going. "How much aura exactly does he have?"

Pyrrha thought for a few moments then spoke. "If I were to compare aura to power like say Ruby's for example; I'd say she could be like a generator on a full tank of dust. Jaune's. . ." Pyrrha paused. "Hard to say but I'd have to compare his with a power plant."

Team RWBY and NR's jaws drop at how much aura the blond knight posses. Winter was shocked that a seventeen-year-old boy has that much power. It's known that aura gets stronger the older the soul is and the implications are both amazing and terrifying. Ozpin mused to himself 'that is one of the reasons I let him in.' Jaune looked down at his hands in wonder. Ironwood was planning to try and capture the boy to see why he has so much and if possible, replicate it.

Trevor spoke up "I know what you're thinking, Irondick and no. You are not going to capture Jaune just to find what makes him tick. Not if I have anything to say about it." Qrow and Yang the proceeded to laugh their asses off at the nickname while the man in question steamed at getting caught and what the boy called him.

 **"** ** _He can be taught!"_** **laughed the black dragon. The white dragon automatically raised his claw and smacked the black one on his head.**

 **"** ** _In short, yes,"_** **said the red dragon, "** ** _We have already seen your memories when we felt our holder. We can see your desire to become a Huntsman, but more importantly, someone who wishes to help and protect those in need. Your will to help has fulfilled one of the conditions to becoming our contract holder."_**

 **"** ** _Your father was a fool,"_** **murmured the blue dragon, "** ** _He didn't even attempt to try to correct your style, modify, or even attempt a different style. Thankfully, your body structure is perfect for the martial arts we have in mind for you."_**

"Cool!" Ruby said with excitement. "He's going to be all Hyaa! Wacha!" The silver eyed girl did some mock kung-fu moves. Yang giggled at how her sister was acting while Weiss rolled her eyes with a small smile on. Winter was silently proud that her sister was getting along with her teammates so well. Ren's curiosity was piqued at the possibility of learning ancient style. Nora was, as usual, bouncing in her seat in excitement.

 **"** ** _Be warned, though,"_** **said the yellow dragon, "** ** _You still need to train your body. The training that we will put you through can be considered hellish if you chose to form a contract with all of us, as well as conditions, all applying to you."_**

 **Jaune pondered it for a bit. His ex-father would always just jump into the fray, for it would always work out. His mother lectured to Jaune about the importance of looking before leaping. Deciding that his mother would always be right, Jaune asked, "Can I hear the conditions?"**

 **The green dragon smiled kindly, "** ** _Good. You're already learning caution."_**

 **"** ** _Hmph,"_** **huffed the red dragon, "** ** _Even you have to start somewhere I suppose. It's pretty simple. Protect those who deserve protection. Safeguard your personal belongings. Don't rape. Don't kill unless self-defense. All in all, the same code as a Huntsmen. But most of all show your pride as a dragon contractor. Don't let anyone trample over you."_**

"My people," Yang said smugly. Ruby facepalmed and groaned, Weiss and Blake rolled their eyes but the brawler was mostly ignored.

"The red one is very rude to him." The champion noted in annoyance.

 **Jaune nodded before asking, "Is that for all people who are contractors with dragons?"**

 **The brown dragon shook his head, "** ** _It's only because you hold the contract as with dragon kings. We are naturally protective of our race as kings. There is one more thing, though. Because there are seven of us, you're going to have to find a mate for each element. That means seven."_**

Everyone's face except for Ozpin's, Trevor's, and Ironwood's became a bright red. "He needs a harem and has a legitimate reason," Yang muttered loud enough only Blake could hear because of her Faunus hearing. "Every man's wet dream." Blake got an idea and started writing in a notebook; blood pouring out of her nose. Weiss should be disgusted at the thought of her in a harem with Jaune but why did it seem so appealing? Winter and Glynda shook their heads, trying to get the naughty thoughts out. Nora covered her mouth as she looked everywhere but the screen. Ren closed his eyes as he calmed down. 'Lucky bastard' He thought but quickly and mentally slapped himself for it; blaming that thought on his hormones. Ruby bit her fingers and rubbed her thighs together. Jaune placed a hand on his forehead and thought it's going to be a nightmare with so many wives, not counting the kids. Pyrrha's mind went to the gutter, Nuff said.

 **"Ewww," said Jaune, "I don't wanna marry that fast. Girls except my family are icky."**

 **"** ** _The young fool doesn't even know how lucky he is! He gets to have a different flavor each day! Sometimes more!"_** **roared the black dragon.**

A fountain of blood spurted out of Blake's and Pyrrha's noses. The cat Faunus had a perverted grin on her face. The would-be contract holder had a look that said "Really?!"

 **"** ** _He's still a child. Humans don't hit puberty until their teens,"_** **chided the green dragon, "** ** _Don't worry Jaune. This can be explained more as you grow older."_**

 **"Then I accept," said Jaune.**

 **"** ** _Stand up, Jaune Arc. Stand in the middle and show us you are not afraid. Prove to us you are worthy,"_** **said the blue dragon.**

 **Jaune stood up and looked at each one of the dragons in their eyes, allowing them to see the depths of his soul.**

 **"** ** _Be prepared. When we form the contract, this will hurt. Knowledge of how to fight will be given to you, but you must train your body to wield it, as we have warned you. We will all be able to communicate with you through your mind. You will no longer be known as Jaune Arc, or rather formerly Arc. You will be forever be known as Jaune Ryu-Long. This is your last chance to back out."_** **said the red dragon.**

 **"I accept," said Jaune.**

"Honestly the best option he has," Winter said aloud.

"I kind of like how Ryu-Long sounds." Jaune idly commented while Yang nodded in agreement. Pyrrha and Blake got up from their fainting spell.

 **"** ** _Good,"_** **replied the blue dragon, "** ** _Then let us begin."_**

 **At once, all seven dragons started to inhale deeply. Jaune could see different elements forming in their mouths, but he stood still and tall, waiting for what was to come.**

 **"** ** _Remember our names, young one. For you will bring forth the Dragon clan on Remnant once again,"_** **said the light dragon.**

 **At once, each dragon fired their respective elements at Jaune. It was painful for him, but he could feel each element fusing in with his body.**

 **"** ** _I am Lung Wang of Fire,"_** **red dragon. (Male western scale dragon with wings)**

 **"** ** _I am Andusk of Light,"_** **white dragon. (Male eastern scale dragon with wings)**

 **"** ** _I am Othim of Shadow,"_** **black dragon. (Male eastern scale dragon with wings)**

 **"** ** _I am Alaerth of Lightning,"_** **yellow dragon. (Female western scale dragon with wings)**

 **"** ** _I am Aryz of Wind,"_** **green dragon (Female western feather dragon with wings)**

 **"** ** _I am Fafnir of Earth,"_** **brown dragon (Male western scale dragon without wings.)**

 **"** ** _I am Ryo-Wo of Water,"_** **blue dragon (Male eastern dragon without wings)**

 **"** ** _And we have been given the title "Kings" of our respective element!"_** **they roared as one, "** ** _Come forth, Jaune Ryu-Long! Show the world of our rebirth! Let those who threaten you learn why it is they who trembles before us! Show them what it means to face a dragon, and why nobody dares to oppose us!"_**

Everyone stared at the screen at how powerful the speech sounded. "Awesome." Yang breathed.

"Wait!" Ruby said as she realized something. "If Jaune made seven contracts with dragon kings; does that make him royalty?" Trevor sorted at what she said.

"Of course he isn't, Ruby." Weiss refuted. "That's not how a contract works." Ruby gave a small 'oh' understanding and turned back to continue.

"I have a question for the dragons," Jaune spoke up as everyone looked at him. "Why dragon kings when two of them are females?" No one answered him or shrugged.

 **In a bright flash, Jaune disappeared from their view, going back to the real world.**

 **"Hmm," said Lung Wang, "It seems that even with our contract, the binding that numbskull has placed on Jaune is holding. However, thankfully, it is no longer as life-threatening as before. All we need is someone to help him unlock his aura, although it seems that it has to be someone special. If only the mother unlocked his aura before his bastard father sealed it."**

 **"It'll be fine, Lung Wang," said Ryo-Wo, "He will still access to some of our power, even if it is smaller than planned. He won't be terribly weakened. Perhaps it is for the best. This will make him focus more on training his body."**

Yang grumbled in annoyance while Pyrrha, Winter, and Glynda nodded at the plan. Blake, Weiss and Ruby's moods immediately soured at the mention of 'that man'.

 **Jaune woke up in pain. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and looked around to see he wasn't at his home anymore. He was in a huge cave, with all his belongings, including Crocea Mors. The cave was big enough to contain all seven dragons inside without being cramped.**

 **"Ok, now where am I?" asked Jaune out loud.**

 **"In the ancient nesting grounds," rumbled Lung Wang, "Located on a small island. If there was a map, we could show you."**

 **Jaune quickly took the tablet out and opened a map of Remnant.**

 **"Intriguing," said Alaerth, "So humans have been able to create such devices. This will make educating much easier."**

 **"Education?" asked Jaune.**

 **"You're still a child. That means your general education about the world is incomplete. We will teach you how to at least read and write at a proficient level for your age as you grow older. We will not have a contractor who only knows how to fight," lectured Aryz.**

Glynda, Ozpin, Pyrrha smiled at the plan. Jaune got thinking about his training regimen.

 **"So, where are we?" asked Jaune.**

 **Fafnir quickly located their position, "** ** _Remnant's land has changed quite a bit since we were last here. However, from the ground, I can detect that we are on the south-east island. The island is called Menagerie. Interesting, though, is that they are all clustered in one place. And to make it more interesting, they are all Faunus. They must not be able to handle the deserts here._**

"Home." Was all Blake said with a thousand yard stare.

"Blake, when did you leave your home?" Yang whispered to her partner.

"About 7 years ago, why?" Blake responded

"Just wondering if Jaune was going to meet ya." Yang finished, Blake shrugged at her reasoning.

 **Jaune gulped, "Will that be any problem for me?"**

 **"** ** _No,"_** **replied Andusk, "** ** _The cave is a nesting ground. There is a pure water source nearby that you can drink without worry. As for food, there should be plenty of animals for you to eat, as well as a jungle for you to forage."_**

 **"** ** _I'm surprised it hasn't been exploited yet. Then again, these grounds have been sealed to prevent anyone from finding this place. Not to mention the natural protections too."_** **said Othim.**

"Pretty much an excellent place to start a new village, life, or even build a vacation home," Trevor said to no one.

 **"** ** _Now then; you will remain here for at least 2-4 years, depending on how fast you progress your training. Then, you will leave to explore this land of Remnant. Meet with new people, and perhaps find potential mates, as well as someone to fully release your bindings,"_** **said Alaerth.**

 **Before Jaune could ask, Lung Wang, interrupted, "** ** _Your father managed to bind some of your Aura. However, we are confident that it can be released in time or by someone. The second option would be preferable. Now, we need to begin your training."_**

 **Jaune was excited. Was he going to learn awesome sword techniques, moves that could wipe out Grimm in one shot?**

 **"** ** _Run_** **," said Lung Wang. Jaune stood there confused.**

 **"** ** _Are you deaf? I SAID RUN!_** **" roared Lung Wang. Jaune quickly obeyed in fear.**

 **"** ** _And I want you to run at least 20 laps around the cave as a warm up!_** **" shouted Lung Wang. Jaune grew in despair as he saw how big the cave was. The dragons weren't kidding when they said they were going to put him through hell in training.**

The student cringed when Lung Wang said to run 20 laps around the giant cave as a warm-up. Glynda, Ironwood, and Winter began thinking about their training and the training of their students and soldiers respectively. Ozpin worried at how much more intense Glyda's methods of training will be. Jaune gave a depressed sigh as he could feel the muscle pain already.

"Ok, the chapter is over," Ruby said.

"Now you did say you would explain your other reason for bringing us here, didn't you?" Ozpin asked.

Trevor sighed and leaned against the wall. "This is going to be depressing for everyone. Answer me this fist. Who here has heard the tale of the four maidens?" Everyone said yes. "Good, I don't have to go over that and I can get straight to the point."

[Hr]

 **AND DONE! Now you may have noticed that the chapter from 'Different views' and this one are largely the same; that's because I wanted to save time on editing and try and get the first chapter of the story out ASAP.**

 **Let me know how I can improve my writing, any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or any suggestions on reaction to parts of the chapter already up. Rate and Review!**


	3. Chapter 2

When Trevor was finished, everyone had a horrified look on their face; even Ozpin was shocked at the news. Pyrrha was wondering what she was thinking at the time, Ironwood was blaming himself for not checking the firewall strength on the CCT, Blake looked down in shame for running away again, Ruby hugged her sister as she cried about what happened while the blond brawler promised herself to get better control of her anger and to make Adam pay for what he did, Ozpin sighed and realized he should've seen this coming and needs to do a background check for everyone coming to his school, Nora and Ren said nothing as they hugged each other. Weiss hugged her sister for comfort as the heiress cried.

Trevor sighed and said "That's why I brought you all here: to stop something like this from happening in your world. Although the original one yours is derived from is locked down pretty tight, I'll make damn sure there are many more dimensions with a better outcome as I can manage."

Trevor then let everyone have a few minutes to collect their thought but Pyrrha was still in shock. "Jaune," Trevor said "I think you should kiss her to snap her out of it." Jaune sighed, then grabbed Pyrrha's face and kissed her full on the lips. The Spartan slowly came out of it and returned the kiss. The two released the kiss a few seconds later and stared at each other lovingly.

"Well." Trevor continued. "With all that sorted out, who wants to read next? Ruby's out until everyone has read a least one chapter."

"My turn," Yang said and snatched the book from Ruby.

 **Chapter 2: At Menagerie, Kuo Kuana**

Blake sighed as she realized Jaune is going to meet her parents pretty soon.

 **Three years passed since Jaune began his training in the cave. The dragons had quickly settled into roles as family for Jaune. Aryz acted like his mother with Alaerth was the elder sister. Othim and Andusk settled as his older brothers, while the others settled themselves as a variety of uncles. Since then, Jaune's strength, flexibility, and skills increased dramatically.**

Jaune had a small smile because his other got a new family that cared about him. A few other smiled as well.

 **Instead of using the Arc techniques, the dragons taught him martial arts that had been derived from the dragons themselves and what the Dragon Clan used. For swordplay, it was the** **Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu** **style, otherwise known as Heavenly Governing Sword Style. The sword style was modified slightly for Jaune to use in conjunction with a shield, although he was still taught the original style, too. For CQC, it was** **Dragon Style** **as the main fighting style with a few other styles they thought was an important supplement to it.**

"Whoo," Yang said, rereading the list again. "Those are some names."

"But why those names?" Jaune asked

 **Jaune asked what was with the names, and Lung Wang responded by forcing Jaune to triple his training for asking such a stupid question.**

There were a few giggles at how Lung Wang responded. Jaune sighed and leaned back. Pyrrha cupped his cheek when Jaune looked at Pyrrha; she surprised him with another kiss. For some reason, Ruby felt jealous. Once they were done, Jaune gave small thanks to his new girlfriend and went back to listening.

 **For reflexes, Jaune meditated and went into his mindscape, where they would proceed to attack him and make him dodge. Othim was especially harsh on this, as he would yell dodge every time before he landed a hit, driving in the point that Jaune couldn't always rely on tanking it, even if he did have massive aura reserves.**

Jaune groaned because he knew his partner would want to work on that. Glynda, Ironwood, and Winter decided to take account of this when it comes time to train the new blood.

 **Alaerth and Aryz were mainly in charge of teaching Jaune how to survive as well as education. Thankfully, the Scroll from his mother Yu provided him with books that he could download to read, although in current events they didn't focus too much upon that. Ryo-Wo taught him proper behavior as well as swimming and combat skills. Fafnir was in charge of learning how to utilize the land around him to his advantage as well as making sure he could recognize landmarks. On a side note, he also told Jaune to make sure he kept** _ **Crocea Mors**_ **, saying that the sword was special. He wouldn't go any further. Andusk and Othim taught him stealth and fighting. Lung Wang was mostly in charge of pushing Jaune to his limits as well as fighting and training. His pride would not allow his contract holder to be unprepared.**

Jaune gave a big sigh and said. "Figures, the prideful ones are always the most annoying." Quite a few nodded in agreement. Weiss looked away in shame as she realizes how she acted back then.

"Like ol Irondick, here," Qrow said aloud with a mischievous smirk. The general closed his eyes and did his best not to strangle the man.

 **Jaune had grown since then. His clothes didn't fit him at all, and several times he had to learn how to sew when he ripped it. The shirt he was wearing now was several of his old shirts patched up together. His pants were the same way. Some of his other clothes were fur from various animals, skinned and tanned. Even if he couldn't use Aura to heal his injuries, he was able to at least channel some Aura into his sword after concentrating. They promised him it would be much easier once he had his Aura unlocked. All his muscles were lean, as his fighting style involved flexibility, endurance, and power: a perfect combination of red muscle and white muscle. Lung Wang called it pink muscles.**

All of team RWBY and Pyrrha blushed; captivated by the scene in front of them. Glynda closed her eyes as she tried both burn and save that memory at the same time. Winter, for some reason, had a predator-like grin as she eye he Jaune on the screen like a piece of meat. Jaune was worried about the looks the girls had.

 **Soon, Lung Wang declared that Jaune had met the 'minimum' requirements to start exploring Remnant and explore the other nesting caves at the other continents. The dragons told him it was vital he got there at least once. He would keep training, but it was time for some much need human interaction. That and it was time to buy Jaune some much-needed clothing, training equipment, and perhaps light armor and ranged weaponry. Since Jaune did not have access a good amount of abilities from his contract, it was better if he had something to fall back to, as well as build up his base.**

"smart thinking, kid," Qrow said. Jaune smiled a little the realized something.

"Hey Pyrrha," Jaune started, the Spartan looked over. "Remind me to get a ranged weapon when we get back."

"Got you covered," Trevor said. "I'll give you stuff from the story as we go along. Though nothing on the body unless you're ok with it." Jaune smiled and thank him for the support.

 **As Jaune packed up whatever he had left, he suddenly remembered something important, something that was a must to live in this world, and something that the world quite revolved around.**

 **"I don't have any Lien!" shouted Jaune in despair.**

"Yeah, that's a problem," Yang said.

"I don't think too many Faunus will be willing to help him," Blake said, worried.

 **"** ** _What's Lien?"_** **asked Othim curiously.**

 **"** ** _That's this worlds currency,"_** **replied Aryz,** ** _"And don't worry Jaune. Merely go through the cave and enter the inside of one of the holes that we told you not to go. You have permission this time."_**

 **Curious, Jaune went ahead and saw a pile of priceless jewels, uncut and cut, all laid there waiting for it to be spent.**

Weiss', Winter's, and several other jaws dropped at what that Jaune found. Many heads turned to Trevor who said. "I won't be giving you the money you make off the stuff but technically it's not actual money so Jaune will get the jewels. Just keep reading for now."

 **"** ** _If you're wondering why there's a stash here, it's because before our race departed, we left a few treasures on Remnant as a gift to those who found it. Since you're going to bring the Dragon Clan back, this is all yours. There are several more locations with treasure, as we didn't want to pile it in one place,"_** **explained Alaerth.**

 **"** ** _There should also be a bag made from dragon skin,"_** **said Ryo-Wo** ** _"It's been enchanted to be able to keep all that treasure in a bag. Merely wish for what you need, and it'll come to your hand."_**

 **"** ** _And don't lose it,"_** **warned Lung Wang,** ** _"Although nobody can have access to it except you and perhaps your mates, it is still a valuable item. And I can not stand losing an item by carelessness."_**

Suddenly, the same bag on screen appeared and dropped on to Jaune's lap. The teenager looked inside to see nothing. When he reached into the bag and thought of the gems he saw, he felt his hand connect with something. When Jaune pulled his hand out, he saw within his grasp, an actual diamond. Surprised, Jaune dumbly looks at Trevor who nodded at him with a big smile. "Any new item you get will automatically be in the bag." He said to the blond boy. Many others looked at the bag with jealousy, intrigue or both.

 **Nodding, Jaune found the bag and stuffed all the treasure as well as a few personal items and supplies into the bag. He found it completely light and grinned. He wouldn't be breaking his back carrying what seemed to be 30 pounds of items and was able to carry it like a backpack. Soon, he was ready to leave the cave with** _ **Crocea Mors**_ **strapped to his waist. He left the safety of the cave and jungle and saw endless sand. Looking behind him, he saw the oasis shimmer and suddenly disappear, as if it never existed. Jaune remembered about Othim's word about how it was sealed from others gaining entrance.**

 **"All right, I'm ready!" shouted Jaune as he began his trek to the closest city.**

"50 Lien says he'll say I'm not ready." Nora challenged.

"Sucker's bet," Trevor responded while the ginger bomber pouted.

 **"I am not ready!" panted Jaune as he continued to walk, using his sword sheath as a walking stick. He had been walking for at least three days now. It was a wonder why he wasn't lost yet. Not to mention all the Grimm he had to fight. Luckily, they were small ones that Jaune had no problem taking care of.**

"Yikes," Yang said pitying that Jaune. "Hey Blake, is your home island mostly desert?"

The Faunus gave a frustrated sigh and nodded while she glared at the general and specialist. Trevor gave a sigh that sounded like a growl. The two teams and professors, minus Jaune, pitied the blond boy. Jaune himself sighed and remember the time he got a sunburn at a trip to the beach.

 **Thankfully, all the guidance from Fafnir paid off as he noticed he was finally nearing civilization. It took another two days before he finally reached the town of Kuo Kuana at night. He was almost out of water and food. Upon arrival, he decided to wear a cloak made of tiger skin he made to do disguise the fact he was a human.**

"Smart idea." Qrow idly said.

 **He felt a bit out of place in an all Faunus town. Locating the mayor's house, he decides to trade some of the gold for Lien there or at least get directions to a bank.**

Blake's eyes widened as he realized Jaune is going to meet her parents.

 **Kali Belladonna, a cat Faunus, sighed as she drank her tea. Her husband Ghira Belladonna was busy as usual being the new mayor of Kuo Kuana. Her daughter, who had inherited the same ears as her, had left after a huge argument with her husband. Blake Belladonna wanted to keep supporting the White Fang after Ghira passed leadership to Sienna Khan in order to become mayor, to fight for Faunus rights. Ghira wanted his family to stay together at Kuo Kunana. After much anger and words thrown out, Bella left with her mentor/ almost boyfriend Adam Taurus. Ghira was not happy, and almost pulverized the nearest White Fang member when Kali managed to calm him down. Thus, the house was quiet as it had been for a year, with her just sipping her tea.**

Blake looked at Weiss shamefully but the white-haired girl held her hand up and said "Don't apologize, I know about your past and I said I don't care. Let's just listen." Blake smiled and turned back to the screen. Ironwood wanted to arrest her but couldn't because he had nowhere to put her and didn't want to mess with Trevor because of what he might do. Ozpin smiled at how well team RWBY is getting along.

 **Suddenly, she heard someone knocking on the door. She cautiously opened the door to see a cloaked figure standing there.**

 **"Who is that?" shouted Ghira from his workplace.**

"HEEEERE'S JAUNEY!" Trevor said and pointed and the knight. Jaune played along and stood up then spread his arms out while giving a smile. Qrow, his nieces, Nora and Pyrrha laughed at the display those two did. Ren snorted and smiled but not much else while the monochrome duo rolled their eyes with a smile.

 **"I don't know," replied back Kali before turning her attention back to the figure. She couldn't tell who it was, but based on figure and scent, she figured that it was a young boy who hadn't bathed in days. She estimated the boy was perhaps the same age as her daughter, maybe older due to his height.**

 **"Can I help you?" she asked.**

 **"I need Lien," replied the figure. Based on the voice, Kali was sure it was a young boy, still unsure of his age, though. "I have some items to trade in for Lien. I was wondering if I could do it here or if you could direct me to a bank or pawn shop." He began to shift, and Kali could see his hands moving into a bag.**

 **She felt sorry for the boy. Clearly, this boy was a young orphan.**

Several frowned at that because she hit the nail on the head.

 **"Wait. Not here," she said as she opened her doors. "Come inside. You look like you haven't bathed in days. My husband will handle the transactions."**

Blake mentally apologized to her parents for not listening to them.

 **Cautiously, the figure entered through the door. Kali guided him to a table and had him sit while offering some tea. The boy thanked her before taking a sip, not letting his hood slip off. Kali observed him for a bit before she went off, calling her husband in. Ghira responded right away. His secretary told him that he still had work, but Ghira waived if off, saying he could do it later; family always came first for him. Upon entering the room, he saw Kali sitting with a stranger, who was sipping tea. Ghira noticed the stranger's calloused hands and deduced that it was a young boy who had been working hard. He didn't seem to come from rich family, where they children tended to have soft hands, leaving all the work to servants.**

Weiss looked down at her hands and saw they were rough but not very.

 **"So, what can I do for you today?" asked Ghira after the couple introduced themselves, "My wife said you wanted to trade some items for Lien?" Ghira had already made up his mind to give the boy the best rate, thinking the boy needed money.**

 **The boy nodded, never letting his hood drop.**

 **"All right, I can do that for you. But I'm going to need you to at least take off your cloak. I like to handle business with an open face," said Ghira. His tone told the boy he wasn't taking no for an answer.**

 **In Jaune's mind, he was slightly panicking. He didn't want to let anyone see his face.**

 **"** ** _Just follow my instructions,"_** **said Ryo-Wo,** ** _"It won't matter if they see it. Just maintain a proper behavior, and you'll be fine."_**

"Easy for them to say." Jaune said exasperated "They're not the boy whose staring at a mountain of a man." No one could argue with that.

 **Jaune nodded before taking his cloak off. Kali and Ghira were surprised to see a young blonde human boy about the same age as their daughter Blake. What became more obvious was the clothes he was wearing was clearly falling apart already, and that he had sewn several shirts together as well as pants to continue wearing it. Ghira stood up and walked around Jaune to observe. He was a tall muscular man, and he was quite impressed with Jaune's muscles for his age. At first glance, he seemed just lean, but Ghira knew that those muscles also had explosive strength. This made him confused, though. Clearly, the boy wasn't living as harsh as he thought, but the clothes told a different story. Lastly, he didn't expect a human to actually be here in Menagerie, at least not of his age.**

 **"Where do you come from, boy?" asked Ghira.**

 **"From somewhere far away," replied Jaune, "if possible, that's a subject I would rather not discuss in detail. In short, I was abandoned."**

"Sometimes, you got to be straight to the point," Trevor said solemnly.

 **Kali could only sob as she attempted to hug the poor boy. It didn't matter if the boy hadn't bathed. She couldn't imagine abandoning her child.**

 **"And how long ago was this?" asked Ghira, trying to prod a bit more information.**

 **"About three years ago, when I was ten," replied Jaune, causing Kali to hug him harder.**

 **"Kali, you're starting to make it hard for the boy to breath," Ghira chuckled. Kali looked to see that Jaune had started to turn blue. She jumped back and apologized. She did, however, get a good feel of Jaune's body and was impressed at how fit Jaune was.**

"I know how that feels," Ruby said. "Yang's hugs are suffocating." She gave her sister annoyed stare while the brawler awkwardly rubbed the back of her head before reading again. Qrow chuckled at their interaction.

 **"It's okay, ma'am," rasped out Jaune as he got his breath back. He tried to get a gem from his bag when Ghira raised his hand to stop him.**

 **"Stay for the night, boy," Ghira said with a comforting smile, "You look like you could use a bath and some food. We'll discuss trading in the morning."**

 **"Thank you, sir," said Jaune. Kali quickly lead him to the guest room and bath. After a nice hot bath, Jaune fell asleep on the bed they had prepared. It was lights out for him as soon as his head hit the pillow. His sword stayed at his side, though. He was taught to always be prepared, even when asleep.**

"No doubt Lung Wang drilled that into him," Ren commented.

 **Jaune woke up at 6:00 AM as usual. He had a bit of trouble getting out of bed because it was so warm and cozy, and was tempted to just fall back asleep. However, Lung Wang roared in his mind, telling him to get up or he would quadruple the training. That got Jaune up fast. However, Lung Wang said it was too late, making Jaune cry.**

The students cringed at the sudden increase in training, Ironwood and Glynda decided to remember that for the more lazy soldiers and students.

 **Lucky for him, it became clear that Jaune did not have enough room to do his usual training, so Lung Wang grudgingly turned for light training. However, he said that Jaune would be making up for it later. Jaune began running in place for 10 minutes, allowing him to warm up. After that, he began a series of stretches to loosen up before he followed the training regimen Lung Wang had set for the day.**

The women blushed at the eye-candy they were getting. Several had to remind themselves that they aren't pedophiles.

 **It was around 8 AM that Jaune heard someone knocking on the door. Quickly calling out and wiping his sweat away, he opened the door to see Kali.**

 **Kali had woken up and prepared breakfast as usual. However, this time she made it for three. She sighed as she made the extra portion. It had been a year since her daughter left them for the White Fang. She finished it and set it on the table before calling Ghira to eat. She walked up to the guest room and knocked on the door. She heard the boy shout, saying just a minute, before opening the door.**

 **"Breakfast is ready. Please, join us," said Kali before walking away. Jaune quickly found another set of clothes in his bag before walking to join them.**

 **After a silent breakfast with Jaune feeling slightly uncomfortable that Ghira was staring at him while also glad to finally have a delicious home-cooked meal, they finally got down to business.**

 **"So, what did you have in mind of trading? And what's your name?" asked Ghira.**

 **"My name is Jaune Ryu-Long. I was hoping to trade something I found in my travels," replied Jaune as he withdrew a rough diamond piece weighing at 3 carats.**

Several eyes widened at the size of the diamond while Jaune started to dig through his new bag to find the aforementioned gem.

 **Ghira and Kali eyes opened wide as soon as they saw this. Looking at Jaune, they could tell that he didn't steal this, but it was suspicious how he ended with this.**

 **"Where did you find this?" asked Ghira cautiously.**

 **"At a cave," replied Jaune, "I found it while traveling."**

 **Ghira scrutinized at Jaune closely, trying to detect any lie. After a minute of failing to find any deceit, he sighed, "We don't have enough Lien, at least not at the price you're looking at. Diamonds are very rare, you would be better off selling to a Schnee." He sneered at the mention of a Schnee, "Although I can tell you they'll try to lower the price as much as possible. You're lucky you're human, otherwise, they would lower it even more, that's if they don't just claim you stole it."**

Weiss looked away in shame while Winter facepalmed and gave a frustrated sigh but said nothing because she knew her family deserved that.

 **Jaune pondered at this before making a decision, "Then can you just give me enough to travel? I just need Lien for food and passage towards the continent Anima. I'll still give you the diamond."**

Several eyebrows went up, namely Weiss' and Winter's. Jaune nodded to himself

 **Kali raised her eyebrow at the Jaune to be so willingly selling a diamond to them at a low price, even if they were Faunus. Jaune clearly didn't discriminate against them, but that could be because he wasn't old enough to be influenced by other views being abandoned so early in age. What she didn't know was that Alaerth made sure Jaune wouldn't discriminate others based on appearance.**

"Discrimination is one of the things that make my blood boil," Trevor spoke.

"Amen." Jaune agreed, Pyrrha gave a hmph and nodded while the rest of team RWBY agreed as well.

 **"Honey," said Kali, "I think we should help Jaune buy some better clothes and make arrangements for the next ship to come and take him to Anima. A cruise ship will come near the port to dock for the night. Even if they are an arrogant bunch, one of them would be willing to buy such a diamond, especially if it's from Jaune."**

 **"But he's just a child. They'll be sure to take advantage of that!" said Ghira.**

 **"Which is why you should be with him when making the deal," explained Kali, "to emphasize that they shouldn't be trying to take advantage of him. Then, you can make the arrangements with a friend of ours who is the captain of his ship to take him to Anima."**

"Anyone would feel better with a guy like that watching them," Yang said. No one could argue with that.

 **"I'm worried that he might be carrying too much Lien with him. That'll make him a prime target for anyone," said Ghira.**

 **Jaune coughed out loud, letting them know he was there, "Don't worry about it, sir. I can just give some Lien to you guys. I'm sure the town needs some Lien for expansion."**

 **Ghira liked this boy more by the minute. He wasn't racist, he was polite, and he was kind. Having a strong body was just a bonus. Something that punk Adam Taurus didn't have. Why Blake chose to run off with him, he still didn't understand.**

"To be honest, I don't know what I was thinking at the time," Blake said sorrowfully, ashamed that she didn't stop and think about Adam's change until too late. Yang patted her partner's shoulder in comfort.

 **With the plan set, Jaune spent the rest of the day inside the house, reading. It wasn't safe for him to go out, especially if some of the White Fang saw him. They might not outright hurt him, but they could harass him still. The only time Jaune went out was with Kali and Ghira to buy some clothes. Kali had a fun time shopping for clothes for Jaune, much to the distress of both Jaune and Ghira. Jaune bought a hoodie because he liked it. He now had quite a few clothes, a sleepwear, and a formal wear. A few days later, the cruise ship finally docked. Of course, only a few tourist would actually venture out, as many of them viewed the town as dirty.**

Blake hmph'd and glared at the racist passengers.

 **Using his power as mayor, Ghira managed to get Jaune on board. There, he managed to sell it to a jeweler at a rather fair price. Since the diamond was a 3-carat diamond, Jaune got 7,200 Lien from it. Jaune then surprised them by showing them another rough diamond, which the jeweler immediately bought from him at 10,000 Lien. In total, Jaune had 167 white cards (100Ⱡ), 4 red cards (50Ⱡ), 6 yellow cards (20Ⱡ), 11 blue cards (10Ⱡ), 11 gray cards (5Ⱡ), and 15 green cards (1Ⱡ).**

"Wow," Jaune said amazed. "At least I don't have to worry about money ever. And no Nora, we're not going on a shopping spree or buying a pancake restaurant." Nora pouted and said "No fair."

 **Although Jaune could easily put them all in his bag, he gave 150 of the white cards to Ghira.**

All but Jaune and Ozpin's jaws were dropped at how much Lien the blond boy is giving to Blake's parents

 **"Are-re you sure?" asked Ghira in amazement. He had only expected 10-15 white cards at best. Even with all the purchases that they had done for Jaune, they spent at best 5 white cards.**

 **"Yeah; some of it is to repay you for all the clothes and kindness you showed me. You can use that Lien to arrange a ship for me while spending the rest on your town," replied Jaune.**

 **Ghira laughed out loudly, "Boy, with this much Lien, I thought you were providing a dowry and asking my daughter in marriage." Jaune blushed and sputtered at this.**

The daughter of the man blushed while Jaune did the same; Pyrrha wanted to glare but remembered that her new boyfriend is going to need multiple girls. Yang simply chuckled to her partner's frustration.

 **Kali smiled at this generosity; truly, a blessing for them. If only Blake would have gone for this boy instead; then, she smirked as she had an idea.**

 **"Jaune," she began, "Will you also be traveling to the continent Saunus and going to Vale?"**

 **Jaune nodded. Andusk and Othim both said that they felt something vital would happen there, so it was on his itinerary after he went to visit Mistral first and perhaps some other places. Perhaps at Mistral, he could find a weapon shop and grab a ranged weapon.**

"The battle of Beacon," Trevor said, emotionless, to everyone. Many faces hardened at hearing that.

 **Kali went inside the house for a bit before coming out with a necklace locket, the latest picture of Blake, and an envelope, "My daughter, Blake Belladonna, is somewhere out there. We have no way of contacting her. However, should you ever meet her, please, give these to her? This is her latest photo. Although who knows how much she's changed, she still should almost look like me. She also has cat ears like I do, although she may try to hide it with a bow," said Kali, giving the items to Jaune. "I have a feeling you'll run into her sooner than my husband and I will."**

 **Jaune nodded as he took the items and put them into his bag, swearing that he would pass them on.**

Trevor wiped away the tears that were forming before anyone could notice. Blake had a few tears as well. "I love you, mom." She whispered.

 **A few more days passed, and another ship headed towards Anima came. Jaune said his farewells and boarded the ship. Kali gave him one last hug while Ghira shook his hand before just giving him a bear hug, crushing Jaune's ribs.**

 **Before Jaune left, Ghira also gave him an envelope, "I have a few blacksmith friends who owe me a favor at Mistral. I can see you don't have weapons that can act as both close and ranged weapons. Merely show this to letter to a shop called** _ **Weapons Works**_ **and he'll help you craft the best weapon they can make for free. He should have a few friends that also specialize in armor if you need it. They can send the bill to me. And before you say anything, don't. You gave me so much Lien for my town, it's the least I could do."**

 **Jaune nodded, giving them both another hug, surprising them both. Jaune was never one to initiate a hug and it felt nice. Almost like a son was hugging them.**

A few tissue boxes appeared so everyone could dry their tears.

 **"Good-bye," said Jaune as he got on the ship. Soon, the ship left for Anima.**

 **"I'm going to miss him," said Ghira, "I would have preferred him as a boyfriend for my daughter instead of that damn Adam."**

Jaune sighed as he blushed. 'Well,' He thought to himself 'At least I have her parents' approval.'

 **"I know," said Kali, "Which is why I can't wait to see her reaction when she reads that letter."**

 **"What did you do?" asked Ghira curiously.**

 **"A little family secret; its how my mom managed to convince me to date you," replied Kali, smirking. Ghira could only laugh out loud at this while pitying Jaune. He remembered when he had his stepmother's blessing to chase after Kali, and giving him a letter to give to Kali. After he gave the letter to Kali, Kali pounced on him like a predator, with a gleam in her eyes. He wasn't sure how he felt about Jaune becoming a son to him, but it was a lot better than Adam Taurus.**

Blake is rapidly shaking her head to get the image her parents doing 'that' out.

"What?" Yang questioned. "What is in that letter?"

"No spoilers" Trevor immediately said. "Now, who's next?"

Jaune raised his hand and Yang tossed the book his way. The leader of his team wasn't ready got hit in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Qrow sighed and said, "I know how you feel kid; Yang always did that when I was home."


	4. Chapter 3

Trevor gave Jaune some pain medication and water. Once Jaune swallowed the pill and caught his breath, he opened the book and started reading.

 **Chapter 3: To Mistral!**

 **Jaune had finally gotten off the boat a week later and was traveling up towards Mistral. During his travels, his dragons kept making him train. Lung Wang started to get creative and had Jaune tie rocks on his body to serve as weights temporarily until he could buy some quality ones. He forced Jaune to keep up with his usual training and doubled it whenever he felt like it, which was often.**

Several of Jaune's friends cringed. Trevor said bitterly. "At least it's someone who cares and not his sperm donor." Everyone agreed mentally or verbally.

 **Fafnir helped Jaune keep track of the land. The rest of the dragons tutored on whatever subject they had been teaching prior. Jaune stopped at many other villages, helping others in need in return for a place to sleep. He encountered a lot of Grimm on his travels, but the older species of Grimm were keen on staying away from him. Lung-Wang huffed, saying that the Grimm at their base instinct was avoiding him due to the fact they could feel the dragon king's aura around him while the younger ones didn't.**

"Seriously?!" Exclaimed Yang, "You have an anti-Grimm defense?!" The brawler then folded her arms and pouted.

"Kid," Qrow started "Do you realize how many people would pay to have a semblance like that?"

"All of Remnant?" Jaune answered sheepishly

"All of Remnant." The usually drunk man confirmed.

 **The ones that did attack lost easily, as Jaune had been training to fight. Sometimes, Lung Wang and Ryo-Wo encouraged him to take on a few Grimm with just his hands, making sure he didn't forget about his CQC skills. They stopped by another ancient dragon nesting ground, where Jaune spent 4 months just training and meditating. Inside the cave, however, was a giant chunk of ores instead of jewels. Fenrir told him to keep them all, saying it would be useful. Jaune was thankful the bag lightened the load, as it was very heavy to get them all in.**

Winter, Weiss and a few others grumbled about not getting a bag like that. Ironwood really wanted a closer look but couldn't because Ozpin would likely stop him and Trevor is giving him the stink-eye.

 **A year had passed, and a 14-year-old Jaune Ryu-Long had finally arrived at Mistral. Eager to explore, he walked around, not knowing he was in the rich district. People watched him in disdain, and one of them walked up to Jaune, telling him he was in the wrong area. Naturally, Lung Wang roared and yelled at Jaune to teach this arrogant person a lesson. However, before he could do so, security came. After a few minutes of talking, they 'kindly' escorted Jaune out of the rich district and into one of the seedier places.**

"Rich dickbags with a 30-foot pole up their asses and can't see past their money." Trevor grumped. Yang snorted and laughed at what he said, Qrow LOL'd while Nora laughed too.

Ozpin, Winter, Ironwood, Weiss, and Glynda all thought 'sad but true in most cases.'

 **"Well, that wasn't nice," muttered Jaune. He was agreeing with Lung Wang that they should get revenge for such attitude, but Aryz reminded them they had other places to go and better things to do. Shelving revenge, for now, Jaune asked around about** _ **Weapons Works.**_ **Unfortunately, the first few people he met ignored him or tried to mug him. It wasn't hard for Jaune to show the appropriate response, walking away with bloody fists. The blood wasn't from him. Finally, a lady was nice enough to point him towards the right direction.**

"It probably helps that they don't see as much of a threat since I am 14 at the time," Jaune said.

 **"Hello? Anyone here?" asked Jaune as he finally entered** _ **Weapons Works**_ **. The location was located at the edge of the poor side of town, right near a large stadium.**

 **"What do you want, kid?" grunted a rather buff man with a beer belly. He was bald but had a red beard with a frown on his face. "You don't look like someone who has the Lien to afford my jobs. Scram!"**

Pyrrha gave a frustrated sigh. Blake looked at the champion and asked "Family?" the red-head nodded yes as sent a stern glare at the man on the screen.

 **"I have a letter for you," said Jaune, holding out the envelope.**

 **Eyeing it with caution, the man took it and opened it slowly, as if wary of a trap. Seeing there was nothing to harm him, he opened the letter and read through it. As he was reading through it, the frown slowly became a very small smile, but a smile none the less.**

 **"So, says here Ghira's willing to cover the cost of a weapon you want to be built. Got anything in mind? Names Hephaestus, by the way," grunted the man as he introduced himself.**

"Fun fact: Hephaestus is actually the name of a Greek god back in my home world." Pyrrha and a few others turned to listen. "Hephaestus is the god of blacksmiths, sculptors, metallurgy, fire, and volcanoes. Basically, all thing that involves making something with your hands." Pyrrha blinked at this new information while Weiss wrote that down, interested in hearing more.

 **Jaune slightly grinned. He had been planning a specific design his whole life. Granted, with the sword that Fenrir insisted that he keep and learn how to use, it cut down some of his choices. However, he was planning to discard the sheath/shield that he had gotten. Fenrir had told him that those weren't special and that he was free to discard them after use. Jaune decided to keep it as a sheath for his sword as well as a backup, just in case.**

The teachers and specialist nodded in approval. "Always carry a backup weapon, Mr. Arc." Ms. Goodwitch said. Yang sighed and wished her sister would learn how to use a different weapon or, at the very least, some CQC training

 **After months of planning with all seven dragons providing him with advice, he finally drew out his plans onto the Scroll tablet. Quickly opening it, he showed it to Hephaestus.**

 **"Interesting," said Hephaestus, "That's not going to be easy. Since you do have Ghira's recommendation, I'll craft it. But first! You have to get me the materials. And none of the material can be cheap iron for this to work. I also refuse to work with such bad materials."**

"He always did want his customers to bring their own metal." Pyrrha idly said.

 **Jaune was about to complain when Fenrir quickly reminded him of the ores he had and recommended a specific one for his plans. Jaune turned around, hiding his bag from Hephaestus's view before withdrawing the huge dull silver-looking ore he had.**

 **"Will this do?" Jaune asked as he struggled to get it on the table with both hands. Finally, he gave up and just put it on the floor.**

 **Hephaestus was wondering how Jaune even managed to hide such a huge chunk of ore from him, but when he saw it, he gasped.**

Ruby instantly became gob smacked at what she was seeing. The poor reaper tried to utter a sentence but all that came out was a jumble of words. Weiss and Winter's eyebrows shot straight up to their hairlines.

 **"Kid, where did you find such a huge ore with such purity?" gasped Hephaestus.**

 **"Uhh I found it?" said Jaune. It was technically true. "Is it not good? I have others."**

 **At this, Jaune took out another huge ore, this one with a brighter sheen with a touch of a blue tint on the silver-looking ore. At this, Hephaestus's mouth just dropped to the floor.**

Ruby instantly shut down as stared at nothing. Yang slapped her sister to snap her out of it. The girl then began to speak rapidly. "Thatsmithrilandadamantineores! ThosearethebiggestchunksofpuremetalI'veeverseen!" The reaper then shot over to Jaune, grabbed his new bag and stuck her head in there. Ruby then stuck her left arm then right, her torso followed shortly after but the girl went down too fast and legs lifted up into the air. She panicked and swung her feet to try and get traction but found none. No one did anything because they stunned at the sight before them. Eventually, the rest of Ruby fell into the bag, a second later the bag actually burped. Trevor couldn't take it anymore and started to laugh hard, so hard that he was pounding his fist against the wall.

"Did that bag just eat Ruby?" Blake said, completely dumbfounded. Yang panicked and opened the bag, then yelled her sister's name into the bag. She got no response.

The blond brawler then ran to the laugh teen, grabbed his coat and shouted, desperately "Please tell me Ruby is ok!"

"She's . . . Fine" Trevor managed to wheeze out between laughs. Once he calmed down some, he continued. "I kind of figured this would happen so I made it with a breathable atmosphere. Jaune, think of Ruby like you would an item and you'll drag her out." The teen was still chuckling.

Jaune grabbed the bag and stuck his hand into it while thinking of Ruby. He stopped when his hand grabbed hers and he pulled. Ruby's arm came out then her head, torso then finally her legs. Jaune set Ruby down on the couch as the girl had a blank look on her face as she blinked a few times.

Yang grabbed her sister's shoulder and asked in a motherly tone. "Are you ok, Ruby?"

Ruby hugged her sister and whispered. "I'm ok." No one said anything as the sisters had their moment, though tears were shed. Once that was done, Ruby let go and said "It was so dark in there! I couldn't see my own nose!"

Trevor cupped his chin and muttered. "Gotta work on that."

"Let's get back to reading before anything else happens," Winter said, wondering what happened but decided to just move on. Ruby sat on her sister's lap for comfort.

 **"Hello? Did I do something wrong?" asked Jaune. He waved his hands in front of Hephaestus before snapping his fingers to get his attention.**

 **"Jaune, was it? You just brought me an adamantine ore and a Mithril ore of the highest purity I have ever seen in a huge chunk," said Hephaestus.**

 **Jaune looked a bit scared, but stood his ground, staring at Hephaestus. His dragons told him he had to look strong and have pride in his deeds. Soon, Hephaestus chuckled before it became a full-blown laughter.**

 **"I'll take the job! I haven't worked with such materials at such purity and quantity! I'll probably only need the Adamantine for your design, along with a few other metals I can get easily. However, I have a friend who would be willing to craft you a Mithril shirt with that other ore. I will personally guarantee that all leftover ores will be returned to you," stated Hephaestus, "I'll stake my pride on that. I'll build you the best one you've ever had! And don't worry about those intricate designs. I'll have my other friend help me with that. But now that I noticed, how come you don't want to trade in that sword of yours?"**

"Wow," Jaune said, off taken by his attitude. "Your dad is very boisterous."

Pyrrha giggled and agreed "Yes he is. And he's actually my uncle. Plus, when my uncle Hephaestus stakes his pride on something, well it's kind of the same as you never breaking a promise. He likes to joke about being a long distance cousin of your family." Her boyfriend's smile got a little wider.

 **Jaune shrugged before drawing** _ **Crocea Mors**_ **out, "I don't know. I feel like this sword is special like it wasn't crafted by normal means." Obviously, Jaune didn't know that, only that Fenrir insisted he not throw that blade away.**

 **"Aye, that's a nice sword. One of the finest blades I've ever seen," said Hephaestus, nodding his head as he inspected the sword, "Even my rival Muramasa would be hard to compete against that blade."**

Jaune pulled out his weapon and stared at it in wonder. Ruby got interested too and studied the blade and sheath with a critical eye.

 **Then, he looked around and motioned Jaune to come closer before whispering, "Umm, sorry to ask you of this, Jaune. Even after finishing crafting that design of yours, you'll have some leftover Adamantine. I was hoping you could spare some for me to use. I want to make a shield for my niece."**

 **At this, he started to blush before continuing, "She has such a talent of becoming a Huntress. However, I want to make sure she goes out with the best, and with your Adamantine, I can craft a nice shield for her. It would relieve my worries."**

 **"Sure," said Jaune without a thought. Some of the dragons in his head scolded him for not even thinking this through, although they would have agreed with his decision. Still, they wanted Jaune to always think before leaping forward.**

Glynda gave Jaune stern look that said: "Better remember that." The boy could only nod.

 **"Thank you, Jaune," said Hephaestus, giving him a quick hug before dragging the ores to his forge with a grin. He was going to have so much fun with this.**

 **"Since this'll take awhile, and also for the fact I need you to come back just to make sure the design fits you, got a place you're living right now?" asked Hephaestus.**

 **Jaune shook his head, making Hephaestus frown before coming with an idea, "Tell you what. Go to this address. It's my brother's address. Tell him Hephaestus sent you, and that I think you're a good kid. If he asks for a password, just say these lines, 'give them nothing, but take from them everything',"**

Trevor chuckles at what he heard. A few quizzical looks were sent his way. "The password is actually a quote from a movie on my home planet. I'll show you the movie room when it's time for break."

 **"I don't-" started Jaune, but Hephaestus cut him off. "You're providing me valuable material for my niece. I think it's only fair I find you somewhere to live a little. I'd offer my place, but I live in this shop, and it's too messy. Plus, you'll get to meet the famous two-time champion of the Mistral Regional Champion! And she'll continue her streak, no doubt!"**

"And it did for another 2 years." Jaune smiled while Pyrrha snuggled closer, though she eventually groaned at her uncle ranting about her and how great she is.

 **Jaune sweat-dropped as he saw the blacksmith start spouting off about his precious niece, sighing, he took the address and walked out the store. As he walked past the stadium, he could hear people fighting. However, he decided to ignore that, walking off to quickly introduce himself to whomever Hephaestus had sent him off to. Just as he left, two people came out. One was a boy with black hair with a strip of pink on a lock of his hair while the other was an orange-haired girl.**

"Ren! That's us! And we just missed our fearless leader!" Nora shouted with glee at first then pouted. The girl's partner said nothing as he stared at the screen with a raised eyebrow.

 **"Ren! Ren! We should totally go see sloths. Ooh, maybe get some pancakes. And then, then, we can, like..." said the orange-haired girl.**

 **"Of course, Nora," replied Ren, already getting ready for whatever Nora was planning. He never had the heart to refuse any of her requests unless they were extremely dangerous. Suddenly, he felt an energy he thought he would have never felt; an energy that his deceased parents had told him to always look for. Ren looked around but noticed the energy was gone. Shrugging his shoulder, he walked with Nora, letting her talk excitedly about, well anything.**

Ren and Jaune looked at each other and wondered what that energy Ren's other felt could mean. A few other were curious as well.

 **Soon, Jaune was walking through another rich neighborhood. The people here seemed... nicer, but many still had the same arrogant attitude as before. Still, Jaune decided to walk a bit faster just in case. As he turned another corner, he bumped into someone with long red hair.**

"Pyrrha." Jaune blurted out. Said red-head smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

 **Pyrrha Nikos sighed as she was walking back home after doing her job as a model for a cereal company called Pumpkin Pete's. She enjoyed being with her family, her job as a cereal poster girl, and her fights, but she felt lonely. At Sanctum, she had no real friends, just fans who were always trying to admire her or use her for their own popularity. After winning the tournament two times, she was placed on a pedestal by her peers, where she stood alone. Any potential friends she had before the tournament were driven away by jealousy or awe. She had already made up her mind to head to an academy for Huntsmen and Huntresses far away from Mistral. Sure, she would miss her family, but she wanted a fresh start, somewhere where nobody really knew her fame, somewhere where she could make friends.**

Jaune hugged Pyrrha tighter at how lonely she was. He really is her first friend. Weiss sighed and sent a sympathetic look the champion's way; understanding at how lonely being famous is.

 **She was so caught up in thinking that she didn't notice someone turning a corner and bumped into him.**

 **"I'm sorry," said Pyrrha quickly. She slightly closed her eye, as if prepared to receive a gibbering fan apologizing or asking for an autograph.**

 **"It's my fault," was the reply. Slightly opening her eyes, she saw a handsome blonde boy with amazing blue eyes. She could see that this person trained based on his muscles which she was admiring heavily.**

A blush formed on Pyrrha's face while Yang saved that piece of blackmail for later, though she had to agree; that Jaune is ripped!

 **"Excuse me but..." began the boy, Pyrrha internally winced, ready to answer that she was, indeed, Pyrrha Nikos.**

 **"Do you know where this address is? I was sent by my friend, who's a blacksmith, to this place," finished the boy. Pyrrha slightly widened her eyes. Did this boy not know who she was, or what she had done? Or did he know and just not care? Quickly, she took a look at the address and was surprised to see her home address as well as her uncle's signature.**

 **"You met my uncle Hephaestus?" asked Pyrrha.**

 **"Yeah; I have made an order for an item, and he told me to stay at this place for the while. Wait, your uncle?" asked the boy.**

 **Pyrrha nodded before replying, "Yea. Come, I'll show you the way. I was heading home anyway."**

 **As they were walking, Pyrrha was taking note of the boy. He seemed strong, confident, and, if her uncle was actually sending him to live with her family for awhile, special. She couldn't help but slightly blush at this boy. She felt attracted to him. Perhaps it was the fact that he didn't act like all her other peers at Sanctum. But where was he from? And would he react the same way as everyone once he knew who she was? She had never seen him before at Sanctum or any other combat school around Mistral. Yet from his muscle tone, he had been training to fight, to become a Huntsman.**

"She's comin after your ass." Qrow chuckled while the new couple turned a bright red. The teacher received a double smack on the back of his head from both Glynda and Winter. Ruby gave a long sigh at her uncle's antics.

 **Meanwhile, Jaune was also admiring the girl. Her lithe yet strong body showed she was a fighter; her long red hair the flowed with the wind, enhancing her beauty. Her armor showed skin, attracting her beauty. And though the girl seemed to be his age, she was already starting to develop into her womanhood. Her green eyes, with a hint of green eye-shadow, attracted more beauty to her face.**

 **"** ** _Hahaha. Already hitting puberty?"_** **laughed Othim,** ** _"Can't wait to see you plow this girl."_**

 **"** ** _Othim!"_** **chided Aryz,** ** _"That was uncalled for. Jaune just hit puberty. It's not entirely his fault for noticing her body."_**

 **"** ** _She seems strong. She would make a good mate for you,"_** **said Lung Wang.**

 **"** ** _Not you too!"_** **said Alaerth,** ** _"Although I do admit, she would do fine."_**

Pyrrha's blush rivaled her hair in brightness and look at the very interesting wall while Jaune did a double face-palm. Quite a few other faces blushed at the words. Trevor shook his head and said "Parents. Always looking for a way to embarrass you."

 **Jaune decided to ignore his dragons talking in his head for now. Finally, they reached a modest house with a dojo besides it.**

 **"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" shouted Pyrrha. Nobody answered.**

 **"Gone again," said Pyrrha as she sighed. Her father was a combat teacher at Sanctum and also a Huntsman, while her mother was a business woman who was an ex-Huntress. They were usually busy, leaving her by herself. She loved them, and they loved her, but they were just so busy. Luckily, her uncle would come by to keep her company, but he was also busy with his forge.**

"You're alone a lot of your life, huh?" Yang asked, feeling sorry for the Spartan.

"It wasn't all bad;" Pyrrha responded, trying to be upbeat "though I did spend most of the time I had alone training."

 **"Well, they're not here," said Pyrrha, "Come on in, though. You can wait here... I never got your name, did I?"**

 **"Jaune Ryu-Long," the boy said as he stuck out his hand, "Nice to meet you."**

 **"Pyrrha Nikos," Pyrrha warmly greeted back, "You can sit on the couch and wait. I'm going to my room to shower and change up."**

 **Jaune nodded as he sat down on a couch and opened his Scroll for a bit. After 30 minutes, Pyrrha came out wearing civilian clothing.  
She went to the refrigerator, grabbing something to drink before offering Jaune some, who accepted. Soon, they started to talk with one another about their hobbies, their likes, anything they could talk about. They were both so engrossed talking with one another and even playing games with each other that Pyrrha never noticed the time fly by, nor did she notice her mother and father returning home.**

 **"Pyrrha, who is this?" asked the mother, making both teenagers jump in surprise.**

 **"Mom! Dad! I'm sorry!" said Pyrrha, "This is Jaune Ryu-Long."**

 **"Pleasure to meet you," said the mother with long dark-brown hair, showing that Pyrrha had inherited her hair color from his father, "I am Golga Nikos, and this is my husband Leonidas Nikos. What brings you to our place?"**

 **Golga and Leonidas were already analyzing Jaune as he stood up to greet them. Was this boy trying to seduce their daughter? Use her for his own benefits? Well, they would show him the way out if that was the case, especially Leonidas.**

Pyrrha gave a frustrated sigh of her parent's paranoia, then remembered that they don't know a thing about Jaune. Trevor sent a look that said "What are you going to do?" as he shrugged his shoulders.

 **"Hephaestus sent me to ask if I could live here. Not for that long, I promise," said Jaune as he passed the letter to Leonidas. He scanned it and saw it was true. However, if it was truly his brother who sent him, then there should one more thing.**

 **"Anything else he says?" asked Leonidas lightly.**

 **"Yeah; something about a password: Give them nothing, but take from them everything," replied Jaune. That cinched it for Leonidas. His brother really did send him here.**

 **"Welcome! I'm surprised my brother Hephaestus sent you here," said Leonidas, "He never does that for any clients. You must be a special one."**

 **Jaune shyly scratched his head in embarrassment.**

"Never?" Ruby asked.

Pyrrha shook and said "uh uh."

 **Soon, the Nikos family got to know Jaune better for the next few days. Even Hephaestus, who barely left his forge, came over to visit. For them, it was like having another family member. However, any subject about Jaune's family was always driven off. Leonidas noticed that Jaune would always wake up at 6:00 to go training. Impressed, he took Jaune to a store to show him some equipment, advising him what some of them did. Since Jaune was going to be on the move, he bought a few strap-on weights, much to Lung Wang's approval.**

 **One day, Leonidas took his family into the dojo with Jaune. In the dojo was where the Nikos family would always train any techniques they wanted to test out.**

 **"Jaune, I want you to fight Pyrrha to see how strong you are," requested Leonidas, "Depending on how well you do, I might approve of you with my daughter." The adults giggled with a joking tone at that part.**

Pyrrha dragged her hands down her face as she blushed. Jaune gave a sheepish chuckle because he's quickly getting the approval of the parents.

 **"Dad!" whined Pyrrha as she blushed; Even so, she drew out her weapons. It was a xiphos that could easily change into a javelin or rifle and a shield. Its name was** _ **Milo**_ **and** _ **Akouo**_ **. She had wanted to fight Jaune at least once.**

 **"Sure," replied Jaune. His new design wasn't done yet, but he could still fight with his sword. Leaving his sheath on his belt, he drew out** _ **Crocea Mors**_ **, drawing an eyebrow raise out of the Nikos family. Very few people used such old weapons to fight now. Time had shown that the ability to fight with a weapon that was versatile was the best.**

"True, but not always," Trevor commented.

 **"Fight!" announced Hephaestus, who decided to act as the judge for this fight.**

 **Pyrrha was planning to slowly get used to her opponent's move, using her usual strategy. It came to no surprise to her when Jaune charged in. She had dealt with opponents like that before. Jaune came with an overhead chop, which Pyrrha parried easily with her shield to her left, forcing Jaune to also go left. With her right hand, she tried to stab him with Milo at his stomach. She was surprised to see Jaune in the air with a sickle kick towards her head. She ducked under it before spinning, using her shield to bash Jaune. He blocked it with his sword but was sent flying back a little before landing. When Pyrrha had parried Jaune, instead of trying to regain balance, he jumped, predicting the stab to his stomach.**

 **Pyrrha was grinning. This was going to be a good fight.**

The students would be excited as well but they realize Jaune doesn't have any aura, so they were more worried than anything else.

 **Ten minutes later, both fighters were sweating. Jaune had shown that his fighting style was very flexible, mixing in kicks and punches with his swordsmanship. Pyrrha proved to be worth of the title "Invincible Girl" as she continued to parry, block, and counterattack. Grapples were met with counter grapples. Pyrrha showed that she had not slouched in unarmed CQC either. Each of the dragons in Jaune's head was impressed. Lung Wang grumbled about upping Jaune's training again as well as hoping to find someone to unlock his Aura. So much more could be done if that dam so-called father didn't seal it. Aura could have easily healed Jaune if he injured himself. Instead, he had to wait patiently if he did injure himself, speeding it up with any outside sources.**

A few bristled at the mention of that man while Jaune grumbled about a 'painful death.'

 **Pyrrha was also impressed. Some of her combos that she did was aimed at forcing an opening against her opponent, but here was a boy who was able to dodge it, block it, or even attack her right in the middle of her combo, forcing her back. Even trying to surprise him with sudden extending spear thrusts didn't work.**

 **The rest of the Nikos family was observing keenly. They had never seen someone to actually match Pyrrha in a match so much. Sure, there were a few times when she had "trouble" with her opponent. But Pyrrha's semblance, polarity, gave her a huge advantage over almost everyone. She never showed it outright, letting people think that they themselves had messed up.**

Trevor interrupted "I wanna pause for a moment to address something." A few grumbled while others were thankful for the if temporary, distraction. "While I ma impressed with your subtlety with your semblance, Pyrrha; you rely on it way too much to save you in a fight it's become a crutch. Nobody is invincible, no matter how powerful they seem." Pyrrha looked downtrodden but nodded, realizing it is her crutch. "I'd keep going but let's finish the chapter first." Jaune then got back to reading.

 **However, Pyrrha had tried to do that to Jaune's sword but almost found herself at the end of a slash that she couldn't move. She quickly dodged out of the way, unwilling to try that again. Jaune had streamed a bit of Aura into the sword. That was the extent of any Aura he could use at all, thanks to the seal. Pyrrha tried to manipulate the sheath, but Jaune wasn't letting her concentrate long enough to hinder his movement. In the end, Jaune actually used the sheath as a projectile to distract her. Pyrrha didn't try to use the thrown sheath against him as she became focused on blocking his attacks. They were very fast and powerful strikes.**

"The sheath makes a good blunt weapon since its metal." Trevor said

 **Both were getting tired but both were enjoying the fight. Pyrrha had never had someone her age challenge her so much, and Jaune was just enjoying fighting a strong opponent. Pyrrha switched to her rifle to gain some ground. Jaune deflected the shots before charging in. Pyrrha threw her shield towards his head which responded by sliding under it on his knees before jumping back to his feet and running towards her. Pyrrha met the charge, running towards him. They both slashed, locking each other's blade against each other with two-handed strikes. The shield bounced around the room, flying right towards Jaune from behind.**

Nora and Ruby were bouncing in excitement, forgetting that Jaune doesn't have Aura.

 **As the shield got closer, Jaune was looking into Pyrrha's eyes. They were so green, so clear with life and happiness. Something she hadn't had for quite a while. Then, he noticed the clunking noise and a whirling sound. Jaune knew the shield was flying straight for the back of his head based on instinct. Without turning, his left hand let go of the sword and raised it towards the shield. His hands were positioned in a position that instead of trying to catch it like a normal human being, fingers open, they were adjusted. His second and third fingers were together while his fourth and pinky were together. There was a gap in between his third and fourth finger as well as the usual gap on the thumb. It formed like a dragon's claw, which was what it was called. Jaune stopped the shield with his left hand before using the momentum and swinging it right towards Pyrrha's face. Surprised, she reacted immediately by releasing her right hand to raise it up towards her shield and halting its path with her semblance. She wasn't confident enough that she could stop it with her bare hands and strength.**

 **The Nikos family was surprised to see Pyrrha show her semblance so easily. Then again, it had been forced.**

"Sometimes you're forced to play your hand." Trevor solemnly said. "I don't want to talk about it."

 **Gritting his teeth, Jaune tried to move the shield forward, finding it unable to move. He noticed a black glow on the shield and Pyrrha's hand with the same glow. Letting go of the shield, he tried to punch her instead. Pyrrha let go of the shield and caught the fist. Still, in a deadlock, Jaune used a low kick. Not expecting an attack from there, Pyrrha slightly faltered, allowing Jaune to gain the upper hand. He pushed his blade down, forcing Pyrrha to kneel slightly. Pyrrha raised her head and head butted Jaune's nose. Wincing in pain while the other felt like she had bashed her head into a wall, they both jumped back to regain their wits. Jaune quickly stomped the ground, making the sheath flip up into the air before catching it with his left hand. He then reversed the handling of his blade, using a reverse grip. Pyrrha didn't bother hiding her semblance anymore and recalled her shield back to her. Upon grabbing** _ **Akouo**_ **, she noticed that there were indents at where Jaune had grabbed.**

Everyone was surprised at the indents and what the two combatants were thinking, none more so then Jaune and Pyrrha, both wincing at the head butt.

 **"Amazing," said Leonidas, "I didn't think there would be anyone in her age group who could fight my daughter like this. Heck, even Huntsmen and Huntresses-in-training are weaker than them."**

 **"Indeed," boomed Hephaestus, liking his new job more and more by the minute. With the new design, he wasn't sure his niece could win if Jaune had it, although he was confident she would find a way.**

"I never heard my parents praise someone so much," Pyrrha said, a little weirded out with all the complements from her dad and uncle.

 **Golga, however, was observing something closely. Jaune had a bloody nose from Pyrrha's attack. However, the injury seemed to stay there instead of letting Aura do its work and healing him. Actually, the Aura shouldn't have even let him have a bloody nose. The more she observed, the more she became convinced and horrified about the truth. Jaune was fighting Pyrrha without any Aura protecting him! If Jaune landed a 'fatal strike', Pyrrha's aura would protect her. Granted she would be injured, but at least not fatal. Jaune didn't have such a luxury.**

Ruby gulped as she realized that same point Pyrrha's mother made. A few others tensed up as well.

 **"We have to stop this fight!" urged Golga. Both Leonidas and Hephaestus looked at her in befuddlement. "Jaune's fighting without Aura! The bloody nose proves that!"**

 **Horrified, Hephaestus tried to call for a halt. However, both fighters were too far absorbed in their battle to hear it. They both charged for one last attack. Pyrrha stabbed her blade at Jaune. The butt of her weapon exploded, shooting the xiphos into a javelin as she proceeded with her thrust. Its increased speed would surprise many. Jaune, however, had other plans. It was time to try to put one of the** **Hiten Mitsurugi** **techniques to the test.**

Ruby and Yang held each other tight while Nora did the same with Ren. The ninja's jaw was clenched so tight, he'd be worried his teeth might break if he'd noticed. Weiss's hands were clenched, tightly gripping her set. Blake was rocking back and forth, the suspense is killing her. The adults were more reserved most of them had clenched hands.

 **As they had gotten closer, Jaune suddenly sheathed his blade into the sheath at a high speed, allowing a huge noise to be heard. As he sheathed it, though, he swung his sheath in his left hand right past Pyrrha's ear, blasting right through. At the end of their strikes, they stood still. Suddenly, Jaune's left arm suddenly spurt out blood. A deep gash from his wrist all the way to his elbow on the back of his forearm spurt out blood, Jaune slightly wobbled and fell to the ground on his knees.**

Ruby buried her head into her sister's shoulder, unable to look anymore. Nora was bouncing up and down in anxiousness. The rest waited with baited breath.

 **"Jaune? Jaune!" shouted Pyrrha as she realized that her attack had struck flesh. She tried to move when her world suddenly wobbled. Unable to stand, she collapsed onto her knees and hands', trying to figure out what was wrong. She felt blood dripping from her left ear. Aura could block and heal exterior injuries, but internal injuries were much harder to recover from. She almost threw up due to the fact her world was still spinning before her eyes. She tried to stand up, but could only stumble in surprise.**

 **"The dragon's howl has reached deep," muttered Jaune as he grasped his wound with his hand.**

 **"I declare this a draw!" shouted Hephaestus before quickly rushing over to Jaune to bind his wounds. Leonidas and Golga quickly rushed over to their daughter, trying to help her and find out what Jaune did. Leonidas had a vague idea, but Golga had nothing. Soon, both fighters found themselves leaning on a couch, resting.**

Most let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Yang was busy comforting Ruby and telling her they're going to be okay. Trevor let everyone take a moment before aking Jaune to continue.

 **"That was stupid, Jaune," scolded Golga, "You should have told us you hadn't unlocked your Aura, otherwise Leonidas would have never asked for you to spar with Pyrrha! You could have been accidentally killed! "**

Jaune winced, feeling like he was actually being scolded.

 **Pyrrha's eyes opened wide at that. She had been fighting someone who was only using his physical strength and technique only? It made sense how her attack managed to get through, but when she thought about it, she thought it was strange how Jaune was able to still stream a bit of Aura into the sword. She voiced this thought, surprising everyone before turning to Jaune for answers.**

 **"Umm... Can we not discuss my past? It's a bit... painful," asked Jaune weakly.**

 **"Never the less, you should have had said something, kid," grunted Hephaestus, "I thought you already had your Aura unlocked for you when you asked for that new item."**

 **"Jaune," said Pyrrha, putting her hand on his, "Please. Tell us a little. It doesn't have to be everything. Why do you not have your aura unlocked? We won't judge you. I promise I'll always be there for you."**

Jaune stopped for a moment and whispered. "Thanks, Pyrrha." She smiled and gripped his hand.

 **At this, Jaune felt his will start to weaken. Looking at Pyrrha's face made it even worse, as he could see concern and care from her face. Golga hugged him, whispering in his ears it was all right, that he was in safe hands now. Finally, unable to resist, Jaune confessed to some of his life. How his father hated him, stating he would never be a proper Huntsmen. How his treatment towards him was before banishing him when he was only ten. However, he refused to give a name.**

"Bullshit!" Yang shouted, her semblance activated. "Why doesn't he tell them his name?!" A few like Pyrrha and Nora voiced their agreement too.

"Because if they tried anything, it could cause serious repercussions," Ironwood said to the brawler.

"Hate to say it but Jimmy is right for once." Qrow reluctantly agreed. "Who knows what this Vlad guy has in his arsenal." Everyone simmered down but not completely.

 **Leonidas was calm on the surface, but inside, he was growing angrier by the minute. It took all his willpower not to grab his spear and shield and hunt the so-called father down. The women had tears in their eyes while Hephaestus looked angry. Leonidas then felt he could at least do one thing right.**

 **"Jaune. Come here," he said softly, Jaune obeyed, and felt the man's calloused hand on his face, in the same position as his mother had done before reciting the lines.**

Everyone knew it wouldn't work but that didn't stop the hope from building up.

 **"** _ **For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."**_

 **Leonidas started to glow red, showing his aura. However, Jaune's body flickered a little before it stopped glowing. Leonidas opened his eyes completely confused.**

 **"This should have worked," said Leonidas.**

 **"Umm, my father did the same thing as you did, except rougher, and recited a different line before banishing me out of the family," confessed Jaune.**

 **Hephaestus, Pyrrha, and Golga looked confused, but Leonidas' face was completely murderous. Pure unadulterated fury could be seen escaping from his entire body.**

 **"Jaune. What did your father recite?" asked Leonidas darkly.**

 **"** _ **For it is in passing that you understand your failures. Through this, you become a paragon of dishonor and condemnation for all to see. Finite at distance and bound to death, I bind your soul, and under my foot, forsake thee."**_ **said Jaune with a dull voice, "That's when all I felt was in pain. Before I knew it, I was out in the cold with only a few things."**

Ruby sobbed as tears started to flow. Yang gave her a one-arm hug. Weiss closed her eyes as a few tears escaped. Blake gritted her teeth and looked away. All of Team JNPR hugged Jaune for a few moments. Qrow's anger was starting to boil but kept it under check. Winter gripped the top of the couch to keep herself form lashing out. Ozpin again wondered how far humanity has fallen.

 **"Dad? I've never heard those lines before," said Pyrrha.**

 **"And no child should," said Leonidas darkly, "Those lines along with the same gesture forcibly seals the person's Aura within his body. The only way to release it is if the same person releases it. It should only be done to criminals with life sentences. To do such a thing to a child is inhumane."**

 **"Aye, and considering in order to become a Huntsmen, you need Aura. I'm afraid young Jaune here will never be allowed into Huntsmen academies. It's a requisite upon attending. If they find out he doesn't have it, he'll be expelled, no matter how good his grades or skills are," said Hephaestus. "Jaune can only get his aura back from his dad, but if he's how Jaune's described him, there's no way he's getting it back."**

The 2 teams were crushed and angry hearing that a good friend of there is denied their dream because of one man that's also his sperm donor. An unofficial and silent agreement was made that Vladimir Arc will never earn the title of father.

 **Golga was in tears, "How could a man do that to his child? Where was your mother, Jaune?"**

 **Jaune shook his head as he explained that his mother and seven sisters tried their best, but their family was run under patriarchal rule, so his father always had the last word, no matter what.**

 **As Leonidas, Golga, and Hephaestus put their head together to think of a way to help Jaune, Pyrrha approached Jaune, putting her right hand on his cheek, her eyes brimming with tears.**

 **"I'm so sorry," said Pyrrha as she softly touched the wound she had inflicted with her left hand, "I should have known when I bashed my head on your nose. You were bleeding right in front of me."  
"Pyrrha, its okay; I went into this spar knowing the consequences," said Jaune softly as he put his hands on each of her hand.**

Pyrrha wrapped both her arms around her boyfriend when he paused. Winter wondered how a soul as pure as Jaune's ended up with that scum for a father.

 **"Is it impossible for anyone to unlock except for your father?" asked Pyrrha.**

 **Jaune shrugged, "Don't know. Your father just tried it, and it didn't work. I can feel it slightly coming undone as time passes, but it's going to take a long time before I get rid of this lock. I can only stream a little bit of my Aura into my weapon."**

 **"Then let me try," said Pyrrha fiercely. Before Jaune could reply, Pyrrha titled her head so her forehead was touching his before closing her eyes. Her left hand was still on his cheek.**

 **"** _ **For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."**_

 **All three adults looked at the two teenagers and sighed. Pyrrha could be stubborn sometimes. Before Leonidas could say anything, there was a bright flash of light. Pyrrha was glowing red with her aura, just like her father. However, the similarities ended there. Jaune's body was pulsating with aura! The aura around arranged itself like a dragon. The adults had to cover their eyes, and missed the fact that some of Jaune's Aura seeped into Pyrrha.**

Trevor had both of his hands clamped on his mouth so as to not uncontrollably laugh at the looks on everyone's faces. Even Ozpin was speechless.

Several still shocked head turned towards Trevor in hopes of an explanation. He managed to regain control of his face and said, "Don't ask me; I'm still trying to figure out my powers." Once they picked up their jaws, Jaune continued.

 **Inside Jaune's mind, all the dragons roared in unison.**

 **"** ** _Finally! About time we got rid of this seal,"_** **said Othim.**

 **"** ** _Now we can finally have Jaune learn our true power,"_** **roared Andusk.**

 **"** ** _That Vlad Arc better watch out for us,"_** **growled Fafnir. Ryo-Wo roared in agreement.**

 **"** ** _Now I can really push Jaune to his limits!"_** **laughed Lung Wang.**

Jaune gave a depressed groan as he looked down. His partner patted his back in an effort to comfort him.

 **"** ** _Interesting how Pyrrha's the one who was the key,"_** **said Alaerth.**

 **"** ** _Indeed. We should definitely have Pyrrha as one of his mates,"_** **mused Aryz.**

Although Pyrrha was already Jaune's girlfriend, she still blushed that the dragons wanted her as one of Jaune's mates.

 **Soon, the glow started to fade away, but everyone could see that Jaune had Aura streaming all over his body. For Jaune, it felt like a missing piece of him had returned, to finally complete his body.**

 **"You have a lot of Aura," panted Pyrrha. She didn't know that unlocking someone's Aura could be tiring. Then again, looking at Jaune, it was obvious he had massive reserves. The gash on his arm was already starting to heal based on the glow beneath the bandages. Jaune took it off in amazement as his skin started to heal, leaving no mark after it was done.**

"There's always a mark after, I still have a few," Yang said still blown away by what happened.

 **"Pyrrha, honey? Did you just somehow unlock Jaune's Aura when Leonidas couldn't?" asked Golga. Both teenagers just shrugged.**

 **"And do you know the significance of doing that with someone of your age and not related to you?" continued Golga. They both shook their head.**

 **Hephaestus started to laugh loudly while Leonidas could only facepalm.**

The two teams, except for Pyrrha, wondered what he meant by significance. The Spartan had both her hands covering her face which had a massive blush while she groaned in embarrassment. Jaune wondered what had his partner so distressed. She simply said, "Just keep reading." The knight continued with reluctance.

 **"If it's a parent and child, it means nothing, just a way to unlock aura within the family. When a non-parental adult does it to a child, it also doesn't carry as much significance. It could be interpreted as someone taking on an apprentice in name, like how Leonidas would have done to Jaune. Of course, Jaune doesn't have to accept it, but it's an offer done after unlocking his aura. However, when a male and female of similar age do the ritual, in some cultures, it constitutes as... marriage."**

Qrow started laughing hard. Ruby blinked as she tried to process what she just heard. Yang's mouth was open and had a raised eyebrow. Blake blushed while her thoughts got dirty; she then started to write in her book again. Jaune was blushing up a storm as he realized he'd almost married Pyrrha back at initiation. Pyrrha was still in the same position.. Ozpin hid his smirk behind his hands as he closed them. Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose and gave a frustrated sigh. Ren scrunched his eyes up while Nora just giggled at her teammates' faces.

 **Both teenagers' face became flushed and couldn't bear to look at each other. Hephaestus was just laughing even louder now.**

 **Finally, Jaune spoke up, "I didn't know that otherwise, I wouldn't have let Pyrrha do that. However, I am willing to take responsibility for this."**

Winter started to smile a little, knowing that the boy is willing to take responsibility, accident or not. Pyrrha is happy that she has, or will have, a faithful husband. Yang gave a nod of respect towards Jaune while the gears in Ruby's are still spinning away. Weiss wants a man that is Jaune- LIKE Jaune as her husband and not some arrogant man who wants her for her money, fame, and power. Ren is happy that Jaune will do anything to make his friends happy, even at the cost of his happiness.

 **Pyrrha's face turned even brighter red while Hephaestus just couldn't breathe anymore.**

 **"No, no, no! You misunderstood me," said Golga hastily, "I just wanted you two to know about this, and just in case you decided to help someone unlock their aura. I didn't want misunderstandings to happen."**

 **Jaune tried to sink into his hoodie in embarrassment while Pyrrha put her face into a pillow. Inside her mind, though, she really didn't mind if she was married to Jaune.**

 **After that embarrassment, Jaune was a little more open to the Nikos family. Sometimes, he made trips to Hephaestus just to help him out or watch. Pyrrha would be latched on his side almost every second she had time. She was lucky she was on break at Sanctum, otherwise, she would spend her time at school hoping it would end faster. They would spend their time walking, talking, or even training with each other. Jaune even allowed Hephaestus to take** _ **Crocea Mors**_ **and the sheath. Hephaestus promised to make a better hilt than the one that was on it, something Jaune was grateful for. The sheath was taken to another friend of Hephaestus, promising to professionally paint it all black instead of the giant smear on the middle. Soon, but too fast for Pyrrha, Jaune's new item was done.**

"There," Jaune said has snapped the book shut. "Finally done with that chapter. Who wants to read next?"

"I will, Jaune," Ozpin said as he reached for the book. The headmaster gave the boy a thank you and looked for where they left off.

"Let me go get snacks, I'm sure some of you are hungry. Be right back." Trevor said and left the room.

[Hr]

 **There's chapter 3 baby! I would've had this finished sooner but my family and I saw the new movie** **COCO** **and wow! It was a rollercoaster of emotions! After dinner, we started to decorate the tree mostly just to get it out of the way.**


	5. Chapter 4

A few minutes later and Trevor came back with a serving cart with all kinds of food and drink. "Now that that's taken care of, please begin reading." Ozpin complied and opened the book.

 **Chapter 4: Mistral to Atlas**

"Is Jaune going to meet up with my family?" Weiss asked Trevor.

The new god smiled and said "telling would be spoilers." Weiss sighed but didn't argue.

 **The whole Nikos family and Jaune were back at the Nikos home again. Hephaestus was carrying five carefully wrapped items with him when he entered the house.**

 **"Jaune, my boy! I had a great time crafting this beauty," said Hephaestus. Before he could reveal any of it, Leonidas stood up.**

 **"Brother. I was wondering if you could let me pay for Jaune. He has almost become like family, spending time with Pyrrha. I admit that since Gorga and I were busy, we didn't nearly have enough time to spend with our daughter. And based on your reports as well as what I saw at school, Pyrrha was becoming more isolated from her peers. I want to thank Jaune for coming into her life, chasing those lonely times away."**

Pyrrha and Jaune smiled at each other and wrapped an arm around the other's torso.

 **Hephaestus laughed, "No worries there brother. I was doing this for free anyways. Me old friend Ghira actually asked me to do it for free. Jaune even provided the materials for me!"**

 **At that, Leonidas sat back down with a smile. Gorga was at his side, leaning on him. Pyrrha was unconsciously following her mother and doing the same to Jaune, not that he minded.**

 **Hephaestus grabbed the first small parcel as well as grabbing a pouch from his pocket, "All right, first off then! I had my friend do this one, as weaving is more of her specialty. Here's your Mithril Shirt. As a bonus, my friend made it so it won't react with anybody's aura except for the wearer as thanks for letting him use such a high purity material."**

Jaune reached into the bag to pull out the same item. He simply held it in his hands as he marveled the craftsmanship. Ruby shot over to get a good look too. Yang followed her sister, curiosity winning over patience.

 **Jaune opened it to see a beautifully weaved shirt It felt light and could be worn under all his clothes like an undershirt. The other Nikos family member watched it in amazement. Hephaestus was about to toss him the pouch that had the leftover Mithril when Jaune stopped him.**

 **"Keep it. If you can, use up the remaining one to make something for Pyrrha," insisted Jaune.**

 **"Why, offering a dowry already, Jaune?" smirked Gorga, causing Pyrrha to blush.**

"Mom" Pyrrha whined as she blushed.

 **"Pfft, technically he already has with this next item," bragged Hephaestus, causing the Nikos family to raise their eyebrows. He unveiled the second item, showing the exact same replica of a shield the Pyrrha used. "Meet** _ **Akouo Mark II**_ **! When Jaune gave me the materials for his items, he dumped the biggest adamantine ore with the highest purity I'd ever seen at my store and asked if it was enough. Now my niece has probably one of the most indestructible shields I've ever made. Even Muramasa's best blades would be hard-pressed to even scratch this one."**

This time, Pyrrha reached into the bag to pull out Akouo. Ruby tore her gaze away from the shirt to look at the new shield.

 **Pyrrha gazed in awe as her uncle passed the shield to her. The shield felt a bit heavier but even stronger than her previous shield. She grinned as she tested it out with her semblance, happy to see that it would still respond to her. She hugged Jaune and kissed him on the cheek, causing him to blush even more. Othim was hooting inside his mind while the others just smiled.**

"Eager, aren't we" Yang teased. The Spartan blushed but with a small smile. Jaune just sighed at Yang's antics.

 **"Finally, your special shield, Jaune," said Hephaestus, revealing what was under the wrappings. A rather large shield, almost the same size, and shape as** _ **Akouo**_ **, appeared. The key differences were the color schemes, the fact it was completely round unlike Pyrrha's which had curves to allow her to use her rifle easily. The outer circle had designs of various dragons roaming about. The background of the whole shield was silver-gray. At the center, though was seven dragon heads of different colors. Red, white, black, yellow, green, brown, and blue dragon heads could be seen. The layer of the shield was also a bit thicker than Akouo.**

Jaune is captivated by the look of the new shield he now has. Ruby gave a small wow and waited for Jaune to put the shield down so she could hold it. Blake will admit she is interested of the artwork and design of the shield and its function but not as much as Ruby.

 **"** ** _Aww, how sweet,"_** **said Alaerth,** ** _"He put our respective elements and dragons on his shield to show how we're always protecting him."_**

 **"** ** _Indeed,"_** **said Ryo-Wo,** **"** ** _I find it quite fitting."_**

 **"Trust me Jaune, the way you had your blueprints, I had a hard time trying to figure how I could craft this. I had to use some of your Mithril along with Adamantine to finally craft this baby out," said Hephaestus.**

"It must be really complex if uncle said he had a hard time," Pyrrha said surprised at the intricacy.

 **Jaune held it, checking its weight. It was heavy, as expected. Pyrrha asked to touch it, which Jaune easily allowed, and found it heavier than it looked.**

 **"Why is this so heavy? And why does it feel like this is more than just a shield?" asked Pyrrha suspiciously.**

 **"Good eye, Pyrrha," said Hephaestus, "That's because inside that shield has a lot of surprises. Do you want to reveal them, Jaune?"**

Ruby squealed and started to bounce in her seat.

 **"Sure. I don't mind," said Jaune. Normally, Lung Wang would have discouraged Jaune from showing his new shield so easily, but he was basically in the presence of family and a future mate. The shield edge near Jaune's hand when using it suddenly separated, showing the muzzle of the hand cannon as it came forward.**

Jaune fiddled with the shield and found the switch, turning the shield into the same cannon on the screen. Ruby was constantly turning her head, looking at the weapon from different angles.

 **"This mode is to pick off enemies at mid-range. Each one of the muzzles comes with a magazine that I can easily reload or change into dust rounds. Hephaestus even managed to make it consume Aura. Usually, that's a last-ditch effort, but because of my apparent massive reserves, it makes a good deterrence weapon even if I'm out of ammo."**

 **"Muzzles, as in plural?" asked Gorga. Leonidas smiled as he heard that, knowing that there had to be something else.**

 **"Yep," replied Jaune before the muzzle collapsed back to its original form. With a flick of his Aura, a small cranking sound could be heard from within the shield. It opened up again to reveal the muzzle of a sniper rifle. A small scope appeared at the side, allowing Jaune aim precisely with it. Jaune repeated it one more time, and this time, a double barrel shotgun muzzle revealed itself.**

 **"I have all ranges covered. Not to mention that even if I can't use it, I still have my trusty sword."**

"You made a quadruple-changer. That's . . ." Anything else Ruby had to say was gone when she shut down. Yang smiled and moved Ruby down to her lap. Everyone agreed to wait until Ruby woke up before they started again.

 **"Amazing," said Pyrrha. She looked at her shield, feeling like she should have had her uncle modify it. As if reading her mind, Hephaestus laughed before telling Pyrrha to tap the button inside her shield. Raising her eyebrow, she noticed a small button hidden in her shield. Pressing it, her shield suddenly morphed. Collapsing itself, it turned into another xiphos for her to use. Pyrrha grinned at this. With this, it would be even harder for her to lose a weapon. Not to mention she could easily hide her shield or store it. Sometimes, the shield just took too much space. She would have to learn how to dual wield, though, something she looked forward to training with.**

Pyrrha reached into the bag and pulled out her new shield. She found the button and transformed the shield into another sword. Pyrrha smiled wide, wanting to learn how to duel-wield right now.

As if reading her mind, Trevor said: "I'll show you the arena when its time for a break."

 **Hephaestus passed back Jaune's sword and sheath afterward. Jaune admired how the new hilt looked. It was much more comfortable to hold now, and the sheath was painted black. Even when expanded into a shield, the layer of coating was even. Hephaestus even threw in a bit of an upgrade for it, stating it was almost as strong as his new shield.**

 **"Well, that's all. Jaune, here's the last of the adamantine," said Hephaestus.**

 **"Keep it for now," replied Jaune, "I might consider getting armor. I'll know who to look for when I finish my armor designs."**

"You just made my uncle the happiest grump in the city. I've never seen him so happy before." Pyrrha stated.

Jaune shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well at least I can call him and send the blueprint so he can get started right away instead of waiting for the material."

 **Hephaestus grinned as he put the pouch in his pocket again. He looked forward to seeing what Jaune wanted next. "So what's the name of your new shield?"**

 **Jaune looked at it for a bit before grinning, "I'm calling it** _ **Dragonscales.**_ **"**

"That's what I'm going to call my new shield too," Jaune confirmed.

 **Leonidas looked to his wife, who nodded back before they both stood up along with Hephaestus, standing before Jaune, "Jaune, I know it's only been a few weeks, but the time you've spent with us is something unforgettable. We wish to continue that trend. We want to adopt you. Or Hephaestus will adopt you. Either works," said Gorga as she bent down to see face to face with Jaune.**

 **"I can enroll you to Sanctum for the time being with Pyrrha. After that, any school for Huntsmen and Huntresses you two want to apply, I'll send you there," said Leonidas.**

 **"Cmon, Jaune. What do ya say? Become our family. You can keep your last name, or we can add Nikos to it. Hmm, Jaune Nikos. Jaune Ryu-Long Nikos. Not bad," said Hephaestus, rubbing his chin.**

 **Pyrrha's eyes opened wide and hoped Jaune would accept.**

Jaune sighed and said to his partner "You know that version of me can't accept, he still has training to do."

 **Jaune was floored by this offer. He felt... wanted. Happy. A family that would take him in. However, before he could say yes, his mind was dragged into his mindscape forcibly.**

 **Jaune opened his eyes to see the seven dragon kings again.**

 **"** ** _Jaune,"_** **began Aryz uneasily,** ** _"There's no easy way to say it."_**

 **"** ** _You can't accept,"_** **said Lung Wang bluntly.**

 **"But, why?" asked Jaune.**

 **"** ** _We're not finished with your training_** **," said Ryo-Wo mournfully,** ** _"There are a few more nesting grounds you must visit. In time, when you hit seventeen, we will allow you to enroll in a Huntsmen school of your choice to further your training. However, it is vital that you travel the world and visit the nesting grounds. The remaining energy within each cave can help strengthen you. This stops when you hit seventeen."_**

 **"** ** _And you cannot delay it,"_** **added Alaerth.**

"The same age I was when I entered Beacon," Jaune said, still sad that his other couldn't accept.

 **"** ** _Indeed. I'm usually the one that's for getting the girl, but Andusk and I sense trouble brewing in the future. And you're going to need all the power you can get,"_** **said Othim, his usual lax and joking attitude gone.**

 **"** ** _Not to mention if you do get adopted, it might attract the attention of a certain 'ARC'. Since your still a minor, he can choose to override the adoption, saying he wants you back. If he does, he might just kill you instead or try to lock up your Aura. Only when your seventeen and enrolled in a Huntsmen school is he not allowed to do that anymore,"_** **mentioned Fafnir,** ** _"For once you're in training, you are considered an adult who can make their own choices with no allegiance."_**

Ruby, Nora, and Jaune teared up a little. Yang cracked her knuckles, Ironwood's face scrunched up, and Winter wanted to murder that man so much.

 **Jaune closed his eyes, holding back his tears. The Nikos family was certainly everything he wanted, but he knew his dragons were right. They had saved him, and never guided him wrong. He had to keep traveling.**

 **"** ** _We're sorry it has to be like this,"_** **said Andusk, "** ** _Perhaps when you're older, you can come back."_**

 **"I understand," said Jaune sombrely. Each dragon nodded before Jaune was whisked back to reality.**

 **"Jaune? Are you okay?" asked Pyrrha, noticing Jaune had a blank stare for a second. It disappeared, and Jaune shook his head as to clear off the cobwebs.**

 **Jaune wasn't going to like what he had to say, but it had to be done.**

 **"Hephaestus, Leonidas, Gorga . . . Pyrrha. I thank you for this, but I regretfully have to say no."**

 **"Why?" asked Gorga in shock.**

 **"I have to continue my travels. I didn't tell you this, but I was rescued from my so-called '** _ **father**_ **' when he bound me. If they didn't, he would have dumped me right next to a Grimm and watch me die, saying that it wasn't his fault a Grimm was there when he banished me. I made a promise to them to travel the world for specific things.'**

"Nice wording, just enough truth to convince them but no more than that." Qrow said

 **"We could help you kid," said Hephaestus, "We can buy you airship tickets to where you need to go. I can close my shop for a bit to come with you. Leonidas and Pyrrha can help too!"**

 **Jaune shook his head, "This journey has to be done on foot and alone. I'm sorry. I can't tell you any more than this."**

 **Pyrrha looked at Jaune, "But, can't you do it when you're older?" Inside, she was really asking, 'Can't you stay with me?'**

 **"No. It has to be done before my 17th birthday. Only then will they allow me to enroll in an academy for Huntsmen and Huntresses. I didn't say this, but my sperm donor is also influential. If he got wind that my Aura was unlocked and adopted, he could use his resources and force me back under his feet," said Jaune.**

 **"And only if you're a Huntsman in training or an adult will you fully be safe from him," mused Leonidas.**

 **"There's no way your father can fight us for the right of custody," said Gorga tearfully.**

 **"I'm afraid he can. That's why I have to say no, for those reasons," said Jaune as he hung his head.**

"It hurts but you got to rip the bandage off quickly," Trevor said. Ozpin, Glynda, and a few others decided to remember that quote.

 **"But...," started Hephaestus. Leonidas held up his hand, stopping his brother.**

 **"Jaune" started Leonidas, making Jaune look up, "Are you sure about this decision?" Jaune nodded his head.**

 **"Very well then, but always know you always have a place in the Nikos family," said Leonidas before striding to a table with a paper and pen. He quickly wrote something onto it before sealing it into an envelope and giving it to Jaune, "When you enroll to an academy, merely show them this. This is my personal recommendation letter. With it, your chances of going to an academy will be much higher. I only hope that you will end up at the same academy as my daughter."**

Glynda's eyebrows shot up in surprise while Pyrrha gaped because her father doing something he rarely does.

"Are you ok, Pyrrha? Jaune asked.

Pyrrha snapped out of it and said: "My father hardly ever gives anyone his recommendation letter."

 **"Thank you, sir," said Jaune respectfully as he took the letter and put it in his bag. Seeing that the adoption wasn't going to happen, Gorga, Pyrrha, and Hephaestus hugged him one last time, where he also returned the hug. As Jaune was about to walk out the door to continue his journey, Pyrrha called out to him.**

 **"Before you go, there's something I want to do. Something for you to remember me by," said Pyrrha. She grabbed Jaune on the cheeks and kissed him on the lips. Jaune froze up at that but then started to kiss back. After a few seconds of kissing, they broke apart.**

 **"Remember me, always," said Pyrrha, blushing at what she had done. Even though she knew that they weren't really married, she felt like it was fitting.**

Pyrrha blushed and turned away. Jaune said her name and when she turned around, she found herself in a kiss with the blond boy.

 **"I always will, my goddess," responded Jaune, putting his forehead on hers, enjoying the moment. Soon, they separated, and Jaune left the city, but not before exchanging Scroll numbers with Hephaestus. He promised to try to message him and Pyrrha if he could, but since he would be in the wilderness most of the time, he couldn't do it often. They both understood that they couldn't be the one to initiate the call; otherwise, they might put him in danger. Jaune put his sword back into his sheath while putting his shield on his back, right above the bag. Luckily, it didn't clash at all. He kept the sheath because he could say it was a keepsake from his mother. Also, it could serve as another blunt weapon if he needed it.**

Several deadpan looks were sent Trevor's way, who could helplessly shrug. "I did say it could be used as a blunt weapon, didn't I?"

 **Jaune left Mistral, going north. His next location was to be the continent Solitas at the city of Atlas, where he would stock up on some winter clothing before heading towards said cave. For this trip, he was to ride an airship to Atlas, as Atlas did not have piers. They were said to be the most technologically advanced city and only had airship docks. Lung-Wang wasn't happy that Jaune couldn't train while on the ship, so they stuck him with meditation for the ride. Luckily, it didn't take long, and after 3 hours, he was in Atlas. Feeling cold, he quickly went to buy some warm clothing.**

 **As he finished buying his clothes, he was about to leave the store when he heard a male snobbish voice in the store, "This is the best you have? I've seen better clothes at a pig's store!"**

 **Jaune turned around to see a young boy with white hair with pale blue eyes about the age of 11 complaining while tossing clothes without care.**

Both Schnees groaned in frustration while Ironwood pinched the bridge of his nose. Qrow grumbled under his breath.

 **"Please sir, don't throw them like this. We need to put them in order if you're not buying," pleaded the store manager.**

 **"Excuse me? Do you know who you're talking to?" shouted the boy, "I'm Whitley Schnee, son of the Schnee Dust Company. I am basically royalty, you plebeian."**

"Wow," Yang said, surprised by his attitude. She then turned to Weiss who looked very frustrated, "Is he always like this?"

"No." Weiss simply said. The teams looked relieved. "He got worse as he got older."

Blake gave humph and glared at the boy on the screen. That was nothing compare to Glynda's. 'If looks could kill, then Whitley would be a corpse by now.' Trevor thought.

 **"** ** _Hmph,"_** **scoffed Ryo-Wo,** ** _"This boy has not had the proper education of being a gentleman, nor does he exhibit an ounce any majestic qualities; Teach him a lesson."_**

 **"** ** _Hehe, and I thought I was the one with the most pride. Still, do shut that brat up,"_** **commented Lung Wang.**

 **Before he could, the door opened once more, and two females entered the room. A young 14-year-old teenager and a mature 19-year-old with the same white hair and eye color as the boy.**

 **"Whitley," said the older one as she put her hand on her forehead, "Please stop causing trouble. It's very disrespectful to others."**

 **Whitley huffed as if to ignore her sister, commenting on how he was only treating commoners as he should be.**

Winter gave a frustrated groan, "All of father's arrogance and none of the intelligence." The teachers and general agreed, having met the man personally. Several heated glares were sent at the boy on the screen

 **"Not to mention, it's a behavior unfitting of a Schnee gentleman in public," added the younger girl.**

 **Whitley huffed, but finally looked down, "Apologies, Elder Sister Winter and Sister Weiss."**

 **Winter took out 2 white Lien cards, giving them to the store owner, "Apologies for his behavior. We'll try to curb it. Just don't say anything."**

"Basically bribing him to shut up," Trevor said, annoyed. Winter and Weiss sighed but couldn't argue. Qrow nodded, agreeing with Trevor.

 **The store owner bowed in reply before getting his employees to clean up the mess Whitley had caused. As all the Schnee members were leaving, Jaune was looking at Whitley with an annoyed expression. Whitley caught this and turned to him.**

 **"What are you looking at, commoner?" sneered Whitley. Winter and Weiss turned around sighing. Whitley was becoming more like his father but without a filter nor intelligence of knowing when to put on a facade. Thank heavens Winter had inherited her mother's attitude, while Weiss was more of a mix of both. She still had some snobbish tendencies, but they had been curbed thanks to Winter. Whitley, however, never listened to her sisters that much, disliking them very much. It could be that he didn't inherit the Schnee semblance. It didn't help that their mother never had a chance to raise Whitley after her early death.**

"Thank you, for helping me get rid of my more . . . snobbish tendencies." Weiss said to her team. Ruby eagerly hugged Weiss who then started to protest.

"Heh. No problem, ice queen." Yang teased. Qrow chuckled while Winter sighed while watching her sister interact with her team.

 **"Just looking at a piteously ignominious child who has no display of any fine qualities or majestic aura," Jaune coolly replied. Winter and Weiss had to stop themselves from snorting in laughter, although small grins could be seen on their face.**

Qrow Exclaimed "Good counter, kid." Weiss and Winter didn't bother holding back their laughter as they both giggled.

"He's not done," Yang said with a big grin. Everyone turned their attention back to the screen.

 **"You! YOU! YOU LITTLE-!" shouted Whitley**

 **"I'm older and taller than you, thank you. Still, if I'm small, you must be tiny upon all areas of being a man," replied Jaune.**

The old Crow guffawed, throwing his head back in laughter. Yang laughed hard while yelling "Burn!" The two winter sisters were laughing harder. Even Ironwood had a tiny smile.

 **Whitley was frothing in his mouth while Winter and Weiss were snickering now. He sputtered out words, but Jaune interrupted him.**

 **"Do not speak unless you intend to improve the silence. Your IQ is lower than the weather's temperature outside."**

Ruby fell back on the couch, kicking her feet up and down. Yang keeled over in laughter, holding her stomach. Qrow was rocking back and forth, wheezing all the while. Even Glynda had smile from the look on the boy's face, plus it felt good to her that he got talked down. The Schnees were laughing like no tomorrow. Everyone else was having a good laugh.

A few minutes and several cramped stomachs later, everyone calmed down enough to get back to listening.

 **At this, Winter and Weiss couldn't hold it anymore and was clearly laughing. Winter tried to put a serious face while trying to discipline Weiss but was clearly failing. Sure, she should be protecting her little brother from all those insults, but the said brother always acted so snobbishly that she got irritated by him easily. Whitley needed this smackdown. Before it went any further, though, a voice rang out.**

 **"What's going on here? Whitley, Winter, Weiss?"**

 **They turned around to see a man with white hair and white mustache walking towards them. From an obvious glance, this man was their father. At least he looked and walked with a slight regal aura. Even so, Jaune could tell this man was just as selfish as his son. He just hid it better.**

Qrow gave the man the stink-eye while Trevor did the same, though you couldn't tell behind the glasses. The specialist and heiress had neutral faces and said nothing.

 **"Father!" shouted Whitley, "This peasant has insulted me. He must be taught a lesson about respecting his betters."**

 **"And it's very clear that you are not my superior," replied Jaune frostily.**

 **"Enough. Whitley, your attitude is unbecoming of a Schnee," said the father before whispering in his ear, "You must keep a public facade, to allow everyone to respect you. This attitude in public will draw bad publicity."**

 **"Yes, father," replied Whitley. He never bothered apologizing to Jaune or the shopkeeper, though.**

"Saying please and sorry will get you on a person's good side much quicker than you'd think." Trevor said to everyone. The adults, Jaune, and Weiss agreed with the boy. Qrow didn't care.

 **The man turned to Jaune, sizing him up. He liked what he saw. Here was a strong young man who although seemed to be from the common class, exuded a somewhat regal aura around him. He saw his attitude, and body language and his language to be a gentleman. Clearly, Whitley could learn from this teenager.**

Qrow stuck a pinkie in his ear, wondering if he heard that right. The Schnee sisters blinked in surprise. The students looked amongst themselves, wondering where this was going.

 **"I am Jacques Schnee, President of the SDC, father of these three. I apologize for my son's behavior. He is still learning. And to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?"**

 **"** ** _Jaune,"_** **cautioned Ryo-Wo,** ** _"It would be best if you just follow what I say for now. This man seems to adore those of proper public behavior. It would be bad to have him as our enemy for now."_**

 **"Greetings, patriarch of the Schnee family, I am Jaune Ryu-Long, a mere traveler. I also apologize for causing this public disturbance." Jaune bowed in respect before standing back up straight. Jacques kept an eye out for his body language and found it quite perfect as a gentleman.**

 **'Hmm. Perfect form. Perfect behavior, and a sly one, too. He's only apologizing for the public disturbance, not his comments about insulting my son,' thought Jacques.**

 **"Well met, Mr. Ryu-Long. Well, I have to take my children home for now. Perhaps we can meet another day. My daughter, Weiss, will be performing on stage tomorrow. Would you like to come as a guest?" asked Jacques. The Schnee children could barely hide their shock at this. Their father never invited someone so easily!**

Weiss sputtered. "Wha- I do- WHAT?!" Winter had a gobsmacked look on her face, completely taken by surprise. Ironwood, Glynda, Ozpin, and Qrow were mildly shocked/surprised.

 **"It would be a pleasure, President Schnee. I look forward to seeing what talents you have cultivated in your daughter," replied Jaune.**

 **"Very well, merely mention my name at 6:00 PM sharp tomorrow at the Atlas Theater Plaza. The staff will send word to me, and I'll know that's it is you." said Jacques. He gathered his children and walked them to his limo, driving off.**

 **"Well," said Jaune out loud, "Looks like I'm going. Hopefully, this won't be long."**

Weiss sighed, realizing that the man was hoping to gain his favor for more power and money. Qrow grumbled something about freezing. Winter had a disgusted look on her face ashamed of the man that is her father.

 **In the limousine, Whitley was stewing mad.**

 **"Father! Why didn't you punish that unrefined traveler?! And why invite him as a guest? He should be shoved into the mines!" shouted Whitley.**

 **"Whitley," warned Jacques sternly. Whitley immediately became quiet. "You still have much to learn. We, Schnee, are indeed above most. However, we can not have such an attitude out in public. It is most unbecoming of a gentleman. If I went out with that attitude, most of our stockholders would sell their stocks, plummeting the SDC into ruin. You must learn to have proper behavior."**

 **Winter and Weiss rolled their eyes in secret. Jacques wasn't really a Schnee. He merely married into the family.**

"This man dragged your family name through the mud," Trevor said. "Why and how your parents married, I'll never know."

 **"Yes, father," grumbled Whitley.**

 **"The reason why I invited Jaune Ryu-Long is because I would hope you could learn from him," said Jacques, "He displayed a behavior like a gentleman, and managed to insult you while still maintaining the perfect facade. When he apologized, he merely stated he was sorry about disrupting the public, but he had no intention of recalling his words to you. Yet, with your behavior, the public sided with him. Not only that, I can tell that he is not a normal man; A strong figure while maintaining excellent behavior; perhaps a suitor for Weiss. He looks the same age as her."**

 **"Father!" blushed Weiss.**

Weiss both blushed and scowled. "Case. In. point." Trevor finished, punctuating every word.

 **"Not your type? Then perhaps a suitor for Winter. He seems very mature for his age, and I doubt his age is far apart from yours, Winter."**

 **"Father!" blushed Winter this time, "I am not interested in someone below my age. I would be seen as a pedophile if I had a suitor of his age."**

 **"That can easily be remedied. We can just wait for 3 to 5 more years before declaring him as a suitor for you," replied Jacques.**

Winter facepalmed and blushed a deep red. "This is why I wanted to come to Beacon," Weiss said, sadly. "To get away from him so he'd stop controlling my life."

 **"Enough!" shouted both daughters, unable to handle the embarrassment. The family butler, Klein Sieben, chuckled as he drove the family back home.**

 **Jaune managed to find a nice room to stay at for the night. As usual, he got up early to do his daily training. With his Aura active now, Lung Wang pushed Jaune even harder, knowing that his Aura could know heal him without much consequence. Andusk and Othim helped him meditate, increasing his already large Aura reserves. Ryo-Wo was guiding him through what to do when he went to the performance. Alaerth and Aryz would be helping him with his clothes and how to look proper. Fafnir was guiding him on how to feel the earth, and to let it guide him. Fafnir told Jaune this would help him fight those with illusions. After all, nobody can lie to the ground, as they needed to walk on it.**

"That'll defiantly help against Emerald," Jaune said a determined grin on his face.

Trevor spoke next. "Personally, I don't see Emerald as bad; she was just desperate to feel like she belonged. The world's greyer than people think."

Ozpin sighed, "Sad but true."

 **Soon enough, Jaune left for the Atlas Theater Plaza after making sure he had the right direction. He had his formal wear on, though he made sure his bag was inside the suit while also wearing his Mithril shirt. The shield had been stuffed inside as well. He left the sword and sheath on his waist, fashioning it in a stylish way while also being able to fight with it effectively. He left the room at 5:00 PM and arrived there at 5:50 PM. He saw a crowd starting to gather. Still, he went up to a guard at exactly 6:00 PM and telling the guard that he had been personally invited by Jacques Schnee to attend a performance by Weiss Schnee. The guard seemed dubious but sent a messenger up anyways, since he did receive a notice that someone would be coming at that time. A few seconds later, and Jaune was escorted to a VIP room.**

 **"Mr. Ryu-Long, welcome!" greeted Jacques as he put his hand out. His eyes flickered to what Jaune was wearing, and gave it an okay grade. The suit was not high-class, but it did suit Jaune quite well. Plus, there was no point of buying an expensive suit at his age since he would just grow out of it.**

None of the girls accept Pyrrha would admit aloud that Jaune looked good in a suit. Nora didn't care.

 **"It is a pleasure to be here," replied Jaune cordially, shaking his hand.**

 **"Please come, sit," said Jacques, guiding him to the balcony with four chairs. Whitley sat at the far left, near the stage. Jacques sat next to him, who was followed by Winter.**

 **Jaune sat next to her before introducing himself to her. Winter smiled and greeted back, putting her hand out. Jaune immediately caught on, slightly grasping it before kissing her hand. Whitley rolled his eyes in disgust, but Jacques seemed to approve of Jaune's proper behavior. Soon, the theater darkened while the stage brightened.**

 **"Now introducing, Weiss Schnee!"**

 **A polite applaud rang out the theater while Weiss stepped out. Jaune could see that Whitley was doing it sarcastically.**

 **Soon, Weiss began to sing a beautiful song. Jaune was intrigued by her voice. It was clear she enjoyed singing, but it felt like there was also sadness within the range of emotions she was singing. Soon, the song was over. Everyone was applauding while Weiss bowed down in return. There were other performances that followed after her song, and soon, Jaune found himself at a banquet.**

Weiss looked away in anger but she also had tears in her eyes. Winter patted her on the shoulder and gave her a comforting smile.

 **"So Jaune, how did you like my daughter's performance?" asked Jacques, pointing to Weiss and putting them in the spotlight.**

 **"It was excellent. Truly, a talented singer you have raised your daughter," complimented Jaune, "I can only imagine your other children being talented in their respective fields."**

The girl blushed at the other Jaune's opinion and stuttered out "Th-thank you." She shook her head and cooled her features, wondering why she was blushing like a school-girl. Winter smiled and knew what exactly was going on.

 **Weiss slightly blushed at this but kept up her posture as a proper lady. Winter still had the perfect posture, but they could see Whitley beginning to tire. He was, only 11, after all. There was only so much a child could take.**

 **"So, Jaune," began Winter, "I see you're carrying a sword. Do you fight with it? Perhaps we can spar sometime."  
"That would be lovely," said Jaune, "Alas, I'm afraid I might have to decline. It is obvious from your posture that you have been trained in fighting, along with Weiss. Not to mention I noticed you carry a badge, stating that you are currently attending Atlas Academy. I would say you are about to enter your third year. I would only lose terribly against someone of your caliber. I also cannot remain in this city for long. There are a few places I must set off soon."**

Many were surprised at how observant Jaune was none more so than Winter herself.

 **"Hmph. Kiss-up," muttered Whitley. He didn't think Jaune heard it, but Jaune did and turned to him, "It is a mere compliment and truth to your sister. However, you may interpret it in any way as you like, even if it's below ordinary levels. I would have a battle of wits against you, but I see you are unarmed."**

Yang covered her mouth while she chuckled. Qrow didn't have the same restraint and just laughed without a care. A few other chuckled as well.

 **Whitley could feel his face starting to twitch, but a hand from Jacques stopped him from exploding. Thankfully the banquet ended. As the Schnee family stepped out towards their limousine, they said their good-byes to Jaune. However, movement caught Jaune's eye, and a Faunus with a Grimm mask was charging towards Jacques with a dagger.**

"White Fang," Pyrrha said, tensing up.

"That didn't happen." Winter said, startled by the newcomer. Many were surprised at the change of events but remembered that it was an alternate universe. Though a few were still worried what is going to happen.

 **"Die Schnee!" roared the Faunus as he tried to stab him. Winter reacted fast, kicking the dagger out of the man's grip. With another movement, her other leg slammed into the man's face. Since she was wearing high heels, Jaune imagined it must hurt a lot. As the man held his bleeding face, the authority quickly went to arrest him. However, since everyone's attention was towards the man, they missed another assailant heading right towards Weiss.**

 **"Die, spawn of Schnee!" shouted the second assailant. Winter didn't have time to react, but Jaune did by grabbing Weiss out of the way while slapping his sheath up. It flew from his belt right into the mask, cracking it open to reveal the Faunus' face. The rebound sent the sword and sheath up into the air. Without even hesitating, Jaune dashed towards the man, grabbing his flailing arms. In the next moment, Jaune did an overhead throw and threw the Faunus into the ground hard. Without missing a beat, Jaune flipped the man over on his front while forcing his hands back, making him unarmed and immobile.**

"Whoa!" Exclaimed Yang in shock, Pyrrha blinked; completely not expecting that. Ironwood and Winter nodded in approval at the swift takedown. Ruby and Nora clapped while Jaune rubbed the back of his head with an awkward smile.

 **"Let go of me! I have to kill those Schnee bastards," roared the Faunus. However, he fell unconscious when the sheath and sword that Jaune had used as a projectile landed right on his head. Many thought it was just coincidence. Whitley scoffed, saying Jaune was lucky it didn't land on his head. However, Winter and Weiss saw the truth. Jaune had managed to calculate when the projectile would fall and managed to maneuver his enemy right into it. Seeing as the second assailant was no threat, Jaune let go of him, letting the authorities arrest the Faunus.**

Even Glynda had to admit that was impressive. Yang gave a long whistle, "Nice moves, vomit boy." She complimented.

Jaune groaned at being called that. "Why?!" He groaned.

"Because you puked on my shoes and I have forgiven you but I'll never let you down." The brawler replied with a Cheshire grin. Jaune gave another groan, so done with that nickname.

 **"White Fang," growled Jacques before turning to Jaune, "Thank you for saving my daughter. Please, allow me to repay you for your kindness somehow; perhaps a nice place to sleep for the night at the Schnee mansion?"**

 **"Thank you," replied Jaune, "But I'm afraid I have to decline. I must be leaving soon. I have already tarried long enough."**

 **Whitley silently cheered at this. Jacques slightly frowned but decided to let it go. Nobody but him noticed, but when Jaune judo-flipped the Faunus, he noticed something glimmer in Jaune's shirt. Realizing that it was a Mithril shirt, he immediately wanted Jaune in his family. The fact he had such a shirt, and at a very high-level craftsmanship at that, told him he was well-connected.**

Qrow scoffed while Jaune glare at the screen. Team RWBY felt offended more than they expected but didn't know why. Pyrrha clung to Jaune's arm and tried to bore a hole through the TV with her eyes.

 **"Very well; Then, at least let me give you this," said Jacques as he presented Jaune with a special card with the SDC logo on it, as well as Jacques personal signature. "This will give you 20% off all Dust purchases from any SDC store. Be sure to keep it well. As long as you present this in the store, they'll knock off the price for you. It's the least I can do for saving my daughter."**

"WHAT?!" Weiss shouted, never expecting the man to be so generous. Winter leaned back with a look like she had been slapped, not ready at all. Qrow leaned to far back and fell over with his chair. Jaune blinked wondering what all the commotion was about. The rest of the adults were stunned. Meanwhile Trevor was doing his best not lose it.

 **Jaune accepted it, bowing down in respect before he turned around to leave. He took a few steps when a voice called out to him.**

 **"Wait!"**

 **Jaune turned around to see Weiss walking up to him with her family standing a few feet away, "I still need to thank you somehow. If it wasn't for those filthy Faunus..."**

 **Jaune silenced her with his finger on her lips, "Shh. Such words are unbecoming of a lady." Weiss blushed, but Jaune continued with a whisper, "Not all Faunus are bad. Some of them have aided me in my time of need before. The White Fang are just extremists, and cannot be labeled upon all Faunus. However, the question becomes why they would try to attack the Schnee family? Has the SDC done something to them? Those are questions you must ask yourself first before making such hasty judgments."**

"Thank you for setting her straight," Winter said, glad that version of her sister's racism has been stopped so quickly.

 **Weiss actually pondered about this before shaking her head, "I'll consider your words since you saved me. However, I still need to reward my knight." At this, she leaned forward and kissed Jaune on the cheek. At that, she walked away back to her family, although she put a bit of emphasis on her waist. Jaune slightly gazed it before shaking his head and walking the other direction. It was time to head towards the nesting grounds on Solitas.**

Weiss's face quickly turned so red, Winter worried she might pass out from blood loss. Yang's grin was wide and teased "So you do have a crush on him. Looks like Jaune is melting the ice queen's heart"

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" The younger Schnee shrieked, her face somehow getting even brighter.

Jaune himself sent an apologetic look Pyrrha's way but the Spartan had a small smile and whispered into his ear "I understand you'll need multiple mates, Jaune; just so long as I'm your first." Jaune's face turned a bright red as well. Pyrrha had a small blush as she giggled, 'No wonder Yang likes teasing so much'.

Ozpin sighed at their interaction and passed the book to Glynda who took it with a nod.

[Hr]

 **Another chapter done! I wanted to put a double chapter up but then the fan on my computer decided to stop. I wanted to be a Christmas present for you guys but my parents wouldn't listen as usual. Gah! Consider this as an apology for leaving you guys high and dry for so long.**

 **I love how many people are enjoying this story but that's not the reason for the author's note. The reason why is because someone reviewed my story and is a guest. If you say something bad about my reaction story and your name is black: Then I'm just going to assume you're a flamer because of you hiding behind your guest status, thinking it'll save you from hate. I hate that kind of shit.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Happy new year everyone! Other than that, I wanted your opinion on a fanfiction idea I saw earlier today: A fairy tail cyberpunk AU where the fairy tail guild members are all hackers instead of mage but all have a unique way of hacking. The dragon slayers are the select few that have an AI companion they either had since birth or have stolen and reprogrammed. I'll put up a poll asking you guys if I should do it or not.**

[Hr]

"Alright! Let's get-" Trevor started when a robotic female voice sounded out.

"Commander to the bridge, Commander to the bridge."

Trevor sighed and said, "I'd better get going; go ahead and start without me."

"You don't look like a leader, and you certainly don't act like it." Ironwood pointed out.

Trevor turned around and shrugged "Things are never always what you expect them to be."

 **Chapter 5: Now arriving at Vacuo**

 **After two weeks of traveling, Jaune found the nesting grounds in Solitas. During his travels, he met Grimm Beoyeti that had adapted to the cold. Thankfully, they weren't hard to deal with. However, when an alpha Beoyeti, it took Jaune a bit more to deal with; he took several hits from the alpha even after dealing several blows to it. Luckily, his Aura that was unlocked thanks to Pyrrha, so he was able to take a few hits without serious injury. After finally killing the alpha, he slowly made his way to the nesting grounds.**

"A beo-what now?" Nora questioned.

"Grimm that is commonly found in cold environments such as the mountains around Atlas." Glynda lectured. Weiss noted that piece of information.

 **There, he trained and meditated for a year. The dragons were eager to put him through even harsher training now that his Aura was unlocked. So many times, Jaune would have had died if it wasn't for his Aura healing him. Inside the cave, Jaune found a few more precious jewels and tons of gold ore and coins, packing them into his bag. He was sure that he was the richest traveler, carrying all these gems.**

"I wonder if he can buy out the SDC with all the gems, Gold and such," Blake asked. Weiss and Winter looked at each other both thinking 'Better him being CEO then the current one.'

 **Whenever he had spare time, though, he would use his Scroll to chat with Hephaestus. Hephaestus was busy bragging about how her niece was now the three-time champion, stating that she had never a loss. Even though she tied with Jaune, it still wasn't a loss. He was even trying to improve her weapon,** _ **Milo**_ **. The Mithril Jaune had given him had been put to good use, but he wouldn't say where Pyrrha was wearing it. He wanted it to be a surprise.**

"50 Lien says he made it into a Mithril shirt." Nora challenged.

"Suckers bet." The teams chorused, making Nora pout.

 **Since Pyrrha was too busy with Sanctum, there were very few times he actually spoke with her. Still, she seemed very happy to see his face, even if it through a screen.**

 **"Hey, Jaune?" asked Hephaestus, "You're planning on heading to Vacuo, right? I got a friend there who specializes in armor. Perhaps you can have him craft what you had in mind."**

 **"I trust you enough to do it for me," replied Jaune.**

 **Hephaestus chuckled, "Thanks, kid. But I'm serious. I can make good weapons and shield, and decent armor, but my friend specializes in that area. But I will admit, Adamantine would not be the best armor for you. I've seen your style. You need light armor that's flexible and durable to perform all those moves. Adamantine is too stiff and rigid. Perfect for shield and heavy armor, but not for you. He can make them. Since you're so good at finding high purity ore, I suggest Fleytium; Very durable, and yet very light and flexible. I'll send you a picture of what a high-grade ore of it looks like, as well as the address for his shop."**

Ruby gave a frustrated sigh, "What I would give to use that for my Crescent Rose."

 **"Thanks. Then go ahead and use the rest of the Adamantine for Pyrrha's weapon," said Jaune.**

 **"I'll be sure to let your 'wife' know you're okay and that you're adding more to the dowry," chuckled Hephaestus, causing Jaune to blush. He was never going to let that go.**

"And he never will," Pyrrha confirmed with a blush, her hand on her forehead.

"Neither will I," Yang added with a teasing smirk. Jaune sighed and blushed as well

 **The call disconnected, and Jaune stretched his limbs. It had been about a year since he had been here now. The gold ore had all been carefully melted and remolded, thanks to Fafnir, into shoes. Jaune asked why he would need such flashy shoes but soon found out that it was for training and improve his dashing speed. The weights he had bought at Mistral were used to their fullest. His reflexes went up the roof while he was meditating, as he was forced to dodge three dragons attacking him at the same time. All his external senses had been increased further than most humans. It was comparable, if not better, then most of the Faunus and their enhanced hearing, smell, or vision.**

Blake blinked in surprise; a dragon contractor's senses greater than a Faunus would throw anyone off as indicated by the surprised looks on everyone except for Ozpin and Ironwood.

 **4 months later, Lung Wang announced that the energy in the cave had been properly drained into Jaune and that they had stayed a few extra months just to get some more training done due to getting used to Aura. Jaune stepped out into the Autumn sun, stretching his limbs. The cold had ceased to bother him, as he could wrap himself in his Aura to keep him warm. Again, most of his clothes became too small for him to use, and that he had to use several of his most damaged shirts as materials to patch up his other shirts or extend them. The formal wear, he left alone, planning on selling it instead. Amazingly, the Mithril shirt seemed to just grow longer as he did.**

Yang turned to Ruby, wondering if Mithril actually does that. Her sister shrugged helplessly.

 **"Time to head to Sanus," said Jaune, noticing the end of Autumn was nearing, "Next up. Vacuo."**

 **Jaune concentrated his aura for a bit, linking up with Aryz. Suddenly, great feathery green wings sprouted from his back.**

"Wow!" Ruby shouted with excitement and wonder. Blake breathed in wonderment. Weiss gaped at how beautiful the wings look. Winter looked at the wings, impressed and she would never admit it: She is jealous.

Yang had a huge grin on her face and said: "I want a pair!" Jaune worried about his motion sickness. Pyrrha wondered how she would look with red wings; she truly would be a goddess of victory. Qrow decided to try and contract a dragon of his own.

"Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!" Nora repeated. Ren wondered how he was going to keep Nora from asking for a ride then decided to put his faith in Jaune. Ozpin and Ironwood knew that Jaune would be a nightmare as an enemy. Glynda wondered how he got those wings without hurting himself.

 **"Hmm. Gonna have to make sure my armor design allows my wings to come out easily," muttered Jaune before he started to flap his wings. With a few flaps, Jaune flew up into the air and towards Vacuo. Jaune had finally learned how to grow wings all derived from the dragons that had wings. Alaerth was the fastest one in the air. However, when he tapped into Ryu-Wo's power, he grew gills and slight fins on his forearms. He swam extremely fast with them, though, almost as fast as Alaerth in the air. For Fafnir, he was more attuned to the earth as well as growing scales on his body, increasing his own defense.**

 **Lung Wang, Andusk, Othim, and Aryz had their specialties in the air, too. Lung Wang's wings were the toughest and strongest, ideal for fighting long battles. Andusk worked best during the day while Othim at night. Both of them could almost go invisible at their respective times, making it hard to detect them. Aryz was the most maneuverable in the air, able to do tricks very easily. She would be the fastest if it wasn't a straight line. Alaerth took that title. Still, Jaune wanted to enjoy himself flying in the air, whooping and doing tricks. He felt alive when flying in the air, enjoying the sun. It wasn't perfect, as the wings were just the basics of his links. Other abilities would take longer concentration.**

"Now he can breathe underwater and be invisible," Yang said, exasperated as she threw her hand up into the air. "What can you not do?" Jaune shrugged, not really sure either. The teachers were glad that Jaune was studying his strengths and weaknesses. Weiss and Blake were writing as fast as they can, noting down everything about the dragons.

 **He landed at a coast of Sanus, planning to walk and train the rest of the way to Vacuo. He was still wearing his weighted gear as well as golden shoes as he ran. The shoes had been wrapped with cloth to prevent any ideas about stealing it. He encountered quite a bit of Grimm but easily took care of them. Most of the other Grimm that had lived longer stayed clear of him, as they could sense the dragons within him. He once even passed by a Grimm Goliath, who ignored him and traveled away.**

"You know, I'm not even surprised anymore." Blake deadpanned. Most agreed with her.

 **"Hmm, I should be getting close to Vacuo," muttered Jaune as he looked at his Scroll, opening a map. Then, he felt footsteps in the distance from the ground thanks to Fafnir's training. They were heading towards him when the group split up, intending to surround him. Still, Jaune merely shrugged while continuing forwards. If they wanted a fight, they would get one. He could use the training, as it had been a long time since he fought against someone.**

 **"Halt! You've been surrounded brat! Give up all your stuff and you may live!"**

 **Jaune looked up to see he was indeed surrounded. From the looks of it, they were bandits, and 20 of them.**

 **"Eh, no thanks; anyone wanna tell me how close I am to Vacuo?" asked Jaune. The bandits looked at him as if he was stupid.**

There were a few snickers from how relaxed Jaune was and the expressions on the bandit's faces. Qrow realized those bandits were from Raven's tribe.

 **"Oh yea, I'll tell you how close you are, boy. How close to dying that is!" sneered what seemed to be the head of this bandit crew.**

 **"Still pretty far, it seems," replied Jaune. Suddenly, his Scroll started to spark before dying in front of him. He looked up to see one of the bandits carrying what seemed to be a mobile EMP generator. No doubt to destroy Scrolls to prevent their victims from sending an SOS signal.**

"Oh, you're going to be in trouble, kid. And not from the bandits" Qrow said to the blond boy. If there was one all men can agree on is that hell have no fury like a woman enraged.

 **"Hehe, pretty ballsy kid," said one of the bandits, "Now DIE!"**

 **The female bandit leaped into the air, diving down towards Jaune. Jaune merely kicked off his golden shoes right at her face. Right after that, he tossed his now useless Scroll right at the bandit's face for some extra damage. The bandit flinched, and Jaune immediately rushed at her, landing a gut punch. Not stopping there, his left hand grabbed her head and slammed her into the ground, where she laid unconscious.**

 **"That was my only Scroll," growled Jaune, "I hope you're ready to die."**

Quite a few were surprised at the deadly undertone of his voice, none more then Jaune himself.

 **"GET HIM!" shouted the leader. They all jumped towards him. Jaune merely drew out his sword, leaving his shield on his back.**

 _ **Flashback begins**_

 **"** ** _Jaune,"_** **said Lung Wang to an 11-year-old Jaune,** ** _"It is time for one of your most important lessons of life. It is the act of taking a life."_**

 **"But, I don't want to kill!" said Jaune.**

The adults sighed, knowing its never easy taking your first life. Jaune realized where this was going.

 **"** ** _I don't mean that you should kill for fun. However, there are times when you are defending yourself that must kill if there is no other option. I can not have you frozen after your first kill, otherwise, you will die."_** **lectured Lung Wang.** ** _"Now, bring that rabbit that I had you take care of for a week."_**

 **Jaune quickly obeyed. Jaune had found this rabbit and grew to adore the male rabbit.**

"It's so cute!" Ruby squealed, instantly fawning over it. Weiss and Nora were not far behind. Pyrrha, Blake, and Jaune still remained skeptical. The adults saw why the bunny was brought out. Yang realized as well and prepared to comfort Ruby.

 **"** ** _Now; Kill him,"_** **said Lung Wang,** ** _"Do not disobey or complain. There is a good reason for this."_**

Ruby gasped and tears started to pool in her silver orbs. Nora did the same and looked away.

 **Jaune slowly grabbed his make-shift stone dagger, raising it up in the air while his other hand prevented the rabbit from moving. His eyes were flooded with tears while his hand was shaking. He really didn't want to do it.**

 **"** ** _Will you prove your father that he was right to banish you?"_** **said Lung Wang.**

"Low blow, scale-face." Yang glowered, her semblance active. Qrow agreed but still saw reason in why he went there.

 **With a roar, Jaune brought the dagger down into the rabbit's brain, killing him instantly. Seeing the blood spurt out, the warmth of the rabbit slowly draining away, forced Jaune to throw up. He had killed deer for meat before, but killing someone he had taken care of was heart-breaking. In an instant, Aryz was there to comfort Jaune along with Alaerth. After a few minutes, Jaune finally managed to calm down a little.**

Ruby wasn't faring any better as she buried her face into her sister's cleavage. Yang wrapped her arms around her sister. Nora cried as Ren gripped her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. Weiss was doing ok but she still had tears in her eyes. The rest were much in the same.

 **"** ** _Do you understand why I had you do this?"_** **asked Lung Wang. Jaune shook his head.**

 **"** ** _It is so you understand how life is precious,"_** **said Ryo-Wo, coming into the conversation,** ** _"How life can be so easily taken. You must not hesitate to take the life of those who do not understand this lesson. If you hesitate, they can take yours, and proceed to take others._**

 **"** ** _Will you allow them to do that, to deny someone innocent a future? To snuff out a light without any thought?"_** **said Andusk.**

 **"** ** _We are kings of our race,"_** **said Fafnir,** ** _"It is our duty to protect those in need. Our duty to eliminate those who threaten the ones we love."_**

Ruby wiped the tears away and nodded to herself, a new goal in mind: To wipe out everything that is evil in the world once and for all with the help of her friends so everyone can have a happy ending. Jaune understood and sighed, thinking _At least it was a bunny and not a person._ Weiss understood why it needed to be done but that doesn't mean she has to like it. Many thought the same.

 _ **Flashback ends**_

 **In a flash, Jaune dashed forward and cut two of the bandits in half. Even with his weights on his body right now, he was still faster of the bandits.**

Ruby quickly covered her eyes, not wanting to see him kill. The rest of the students were surprised at the speed and efficiency of the cuts.

 **"Careful! This ain't no greenhorn!" warned one of the bandits as he saw how easily Jaune was willing to kill. Before he could do anything, though, he found his head separated from his body.**

 **"Rookies, get back! Everybody else, use your Aura to protect yourself!" shouted the leader.**

 **"Die!"**

 **"How is he so fast!?" *stab***

 **"Noo! Save m-" *slash***

 **"Monster!"**

"Holy crap," Yang muttered, startled at how fast the bandits are being dispatched. And that's with the weights on.

 **The bandits had severely underestimated Jaune. The** **Hiten Mitsurugi** **was a style that was focused on taking multiple enemies out at once with its high-speed style. Even so, with his massive Aura reserves, he was able to cut right through the enemies Aura defense. Anyone who was able to even block it found their Aura reserves dwindled down to nothing before taking a death blow. He dodged their attacks with uncanny timing. Although even if they had hit, it wouldn't have made a difference due to his Aura reserves. It was because of Othim's specific training of forcing him to dodge or block properly that he never tried to tank anything unless he was sure he could take it and land a devastating counterattack.**

Ren secretly, desperately wanted to learn that style of fighting. Yang was more vocal about it.

 **Within several minutes, there were only 3 quivering rookies, one veteran bandit missing his left arm as well as bleeding heavily, the still unconscious female bandit that had fallen first, and the leader missing his right eye. They turned around and fled for their lives. Jaune merely slashed the air, getting rid of all the blood on his sword in one stroke before sheathing it. He didn't feel like chasing after cowards, nor did he feel like killing the one bandit whose head was still in the ground.**

Yang snorted and laughed. "His head's actually in the ground" She then laugh some more. "I wasn't ready." Few others laughed despite the situation minutes before.

 **"Guess I'll have to fly now," muttered Jaune as he put back his golden training shoes. He had no idea which direction was Vacuo. Quickly looking around and seeing that nobody was in sight in his eye and earth sense, he grew white scale wings and took to the skies. His image started to fade, disguising himself into the sky.**

 **Raven Branwen was walking back to her 'family' when she noticed something was wrong.**

"Mom," Yang whispered. Years of searching and here she is, right in front of her on a screen. The blonde's eyes started to mist. Qrow thought _This isn't going to be pretty. Sorry Yang, but your mom isn't who you think she is._

 **She rushed in to see the other members of her crew helping a scouting crew. Or rather, what was left of the crew. A group of 20 bandits reduced to 5, with one of them dying and the other blinded in his right eye. The rookies were scared out of their mind.**

 **"What happened!" demanded Raven.**

 **"A demon! He fought like a demon! I swear, his Aura manifested into something with horns, scales, and a sharp mouth. Its narrow pupils stared at me, and I felt like death was watching me!" babbled one of the rookies.**

A few sweat-dropped at Jaune being called a demon, Jaune included. They'd say he doesn't look terrifying but the fight they saw says otherwise.

 **"He? As in only one man?" asked Raven.**

 **"No," grunted the leader of his group, "A mere teenager wiped us all out. He showed no mercy and didn't even seem to hesitate in killing. He was definitely trained, and isn't a softy like others."**

 **Raven narrowed her eyes. This was interesting. She was obviously furious that many of her people died, but at the same time, she might be able to recruit someone strong into her family. They were always looking for strong people. It was a shame Taiyang Xiao Long refused to join her family. It was the only reason why she even slept and bore a child for him. After seeing that he wouldn't join, she left him and her daughter a few months later.**

Yang was absolutely pissed off at what she heard. "That's why she left?! Just because she didn't get dad to join her clan?!" She then screamed in rage until eventually, her screams became sobs. Both Ruby and Blake were doing the best to comfort her, Qrow sat by; mad that his sister abandoned her child for such a stupid reason. Tears were pooling at Jaune's eyes, contrasted to his angry look.

 **"Leader. He'll live," said a medic, pointing to her patient. He seemed to be breathing much more easily now, and the blood had stopped flowing from his wounds; Looks like her semblance, good luck, was coming out today, as her name had always been associated with good luck.**

 **"Stay here. I'll take care of this teenager," ordered Raven. After getting a general idea where the fight had taken place, she quickly transformed into a raven form and flew off.**

"Whoa," Blake said, surprised that she can do that.

Qrow answered the question on everyone's mind. "That runs in the family. No idea why and yes Yang, you can do that too. I'll show you how later." Yang sniffed, a little happier.

 **She quickly found the massacre and looked around for clues. It was there she was completely stumped. There were no signs of footprints leading away from the fight. It was as if the person had completely disappeared. She tried to use her semblance, but no amount of good luck would get her closer. The only thing she found was that one of her people was still alive. Waking the bandit up, she took her back to camp. They would mourn for the dead and bury them, but they all followed the code. The weak die while the strong live.**

 **She made it back to her group, looking at the injured. They needed some more medical supplies at this point. She made her decision.**

 **"We head to Vacuo."**

Jaune gave a sigh. "I'm gonna fight her, aren't I?"

"Knowing my sister, yep," Qrow confirmed. Ozpin wondered if Ryu-Long will be able to beat her in his current state.

 **Soaring through the sky and going in the general direction he had been heading before, He found Vacuo. He quickly descended towards the ground and withdrew his wings. He didn't feel like freaking anyone out.**

 **"Pyrrha's not going to be happy," muttered Jaune as he thought about his ruined Scroll. There was no way to contact Hephaestus now unless he managed to buy a new Scroll, and his last contact had been about 6 months ago.**

"6 months?" Jaune asked.

Ironwood added, "Most areas outside of the kingdoms don't get much in the way of communication."

Jaune sighed and leaned back; knowing Ryu-Long is going to get an earful.

 **He walked through the desert and into the city. Before entering the city, he had put all his training equipment back into his bag. He didn't want to stand out too much. There, he found it was quite different than he thought. A lot of houses built to withstand the desert conditions, but they all seemed quite withered. He had read through the history of Vacuo, finding out that the government there barely existed, that the true source of law and order was Shade Academy. However, he did see banners and flags, as if a festival was coming.**

"Hardly any government at all?" Pyrrha asked; completely bewildered.

Blake confirmed "Yeah. Sun says the only reason it hasn't become anarchy there is because of Shade Academy. Most of the third and fourth years and sometimes second years are sent out into the city to keep the peace.

 **"Umm, what's with all these things?" Jaune asked the nearest shopkeeper, who was tending to his stall** _ **The Simple Wok**_ **. The owner was an elderly, balding, gray-haired man with wrinkles under his eyes and over his brow.**

"Wait!" Ruby shouted in surprise. "That's the guy running the From Dust to Dawn! What's he doing in Vacuo?" They asked Ruby if she was sure and the Reaper confirmed; saying "I frequent at the store a lot." Everyone looked amongst themselves for an answer to explain this but one knew.

 **He looked at Jaune in shock for a bit before deciding to answer him. It would be rude to not say anything, after all.**

 **"It's the Vytal Festival! The 39th anniversary of it!" said the shopkeeper.**

 **"Ah. Sorry, lost track of time ever since my Scroll was destroyed in the wilderness," said Jaune.**

 **"Mm, that explains it. Some of the more outer colonies don't get news too often," said the shopkeeper, "Did you want to eat something here?"**

 **"Sure," replied Jaune, looking through the menu as he sat at the edge of the stand on the right. That way, his sword, which was on his left side, would be free to swing around for a bit. After ordering a simple chicken broth noodle bowl medium size, the shopkeeper came out with a huge serving of it. Jaune was quite surprised at the size, making sure he ordered the right one.**

 **"Don't worry about it, kid;" said the shopkeeper, "You look like you could use the extra serving. I'll still charge it at medium bowl price."**

"Now I'm hungry for noodles," Yang said as she clutched her stomach. Then there was a loud growl that sounded like I came from Ruby. She blushed and gave a sheepish smile. "My semblance gives me a high metabolism."

 **Thanking the shopkeeper, Jaune started slurping his noodle. It really tasted good for something so simple.**

 **"** ** _Hmm; perhaps this one could become your personal cook,"_** **said Andusk. All the dragons could share Jaune's senses to taste the food, and surprisingly they also liked what he was eating. The broth wasn't too salty, and the noodles had been seasoned and cooked to perfection.**

"Interesting," Weiss said as she had a bowl of noodles that was brought in moments ago. Blake agreed and wrote that down while she had her own bowl.

 **As Jaune was eating, four more girls came in to order. They sat in a row, the girl in green with blonde hair and violet eyes sitting right next to Jaune.**

 **"Four orders of veggie noodle bowls medium size please!" said the girl in green. She moved her arm and hit Jaune's hand as he was about to grab his glass of water.**

 **"Sorry!" apologized the girl before she noticed Jaune and started staring at him. In her mind, she was looking at the hottest guy she had seen so far in her life; Shiny blonde hair and blue eyes, with a face that looked handsome. A bonus was when she looked down; she could easily see lean muscles, as Jaune's shirt was a bit too tight along with his pants. Jaune made a note to go shopping soon.**

Team RWBY blushed along with Pyrrha. Winter secretly enjoyed the eye-candy as well as Glynda though she's ashamed to admit it and it doesn't help that she has to read this aloud.

 **"No problem. Nothing broke," said Jaune as he took a sip of water. He noticed the girl was still staring at him, along with the other three girls who just noticed him. "Hello?" he asked the girl in green, who seemed to still be in a trance. He snapped his fingers in front of her to break her out of it.**

 **"Eep!" she squealed, blushing up a storm, "I'm sorry!"**

 **"No worries. The name's Jaune Ryu-Long," said Jaune as he introduced himself.**

"Girl's lucky; good food and a good show." Yang teased. Jaune closed his eyes and breathed deep.

 **"My name is Dew Gayl," replied the girl in green, "And these are my best friends, Nebula Violette, Gwen Darcy, and Octavia Ember."**

 **The other girls waved in reply.**

 **"Nice to meet you all," said Jaune, "I think your meals are ready, though."**

 **The four girls looked down and seemed surprised to see four veggie noodles bowls sitting in front of them. They quickly dug into their meals, not wanting it to get cold.**

"That was fast." Muttered Ren.

 **"So, are you here to watch the Vytal Festival Tournament?" asked Dew, "I don't think I've seen you in Shadow Academy."**

 **"That's because I'm a traveler," responded Jaune, "I just drifted into town just in time for this festival. I didn't even know it was time"**

 **"Oh?" said Nebula, "You were out in the wilderness for a long time?"**

 **Jaune nodded, "Yea. My Scroll broke, so I completely lost track of time. I need to get a new one soon."**

 **"That's a shame," said Gwen, "The Scrolls are completely sold out here due to the Festival. You'll have to wait for quite awhile to get a new one."**

"Ooh. Bad luck." Nora cringed.

 **"I can't wait to see the fights!" said Octavia, "It's our dream to become the best female Hunter group there is. We're planning on going to Shade Academy to become Huntresses!"**

"Sorry girls but team RWBY will be the best!" Ruby shouted. Yang then gave her sister a high-five while Weiss and Blake rolled their eyes.

 **They all finished their noodles, paying for it and then walked out. Jaune was about to wander into town, trying to find the shop Hephaestus had mentioned when he felt a tug on his shirt. He turned around to see Dew holding onto it, blushing for a bit.**

 **"Do you want to see the tournament with us?" Dew asked, pointing to her group, "We have VIP seats thanks to Nebula's father. He said we could squeeze in one more."**

"Dang girl, already asking him out on a date," Yang said. Ironwood pinched the bridge of his nose while Qrow rubbed his face, knowing where this will lead.

 **Jaune pondered about it. The dragons told him that it would be best to go, so he could observe other fighters and learn from them. Tutoring alone could only get you so far.**

 **"Sure," replied Jaune, "But I really need to buy some new clothes. All of mine are too small."**

 **"We can help you," said Dew hastily before blushing, "I mean, if you want us to."**

 **Before Jaune could reply, Nebula and Octavia grabbed his arms.**

 **"Time for a shopping trip!" shouted Nebula, dragging him off to a popular brand store with Octavia. Gwen sighed as she began to follow them, along with Dew. Jaune slightly paled as he remembered the shopping trips he had to endure with his seven sisters and mother. It was the only time his father would sympathize with him.**

All the males sympathized; each of them endured the dreaded shopping with a woman at the helm. It's nightmare to both them and their wallets.

 **"Soo, making a move on a stranger you just met. How daring," whispered Nebula to Dew, who was blushing like crazy. All four girls were in a huddle while Jaune was in the changing room, changing to a shirt that the girls had forced him to try, along with twenty other shirts and pants.**

 **"Shut up! It's not my fault he looked so cute," whispered Dew, looking back at the changing room, hoping he didn't hear any of this.**

 **"I'd say you made a good choice," whispered Octavia, "I felt his arms. They're almost like steel. He's buff for someone who seems thin."**

 **"Really?" asked Gwen, surprised.**

 **"Yea," replied Nebula, "When I grabbed him, all I felt was pure muscle; barely any fat on him."**

 **"Does this look ok?"**

 **The girls turned around to see Jaune wearing a much more fitting hoodie, "What's with you and hoodies?" exasperated Gwen.**

Jaune's friends looked at him with the same question. He answered "I like hoodies, ok? Besides, my mom stitched me one when I left for Beacon."

 **"I like them," replied Jaune before taking it off, "Fine, better?"**

 **The four girls stared at Jaune. Now that he was showing his naked arms, they could see the perfect amount of muscle on him. Not too bulky to be a bodybuilder, but extremely lean, showing very minimal traces of fat.**

Yang, getting an idea, sneaks up behind Jaune while the girls were distracted with the eye-candy, she quickly yanks off Jaune's hoodie to see if it's the same and she is right: All of Pyrrha's training has, in her words, made him look yummy. Jaune quickly tries to take his hoodie back from Yang but manages to keep it away from him for a few minutes before Jaune finally snatches it back. Qrow chuckles to himself though he worries Ruby and Yang might be falling for him; Yang because she's never done that before and he checked with Ruby. His niece because she talks about him, a lot.

 **"Hubahuba," whistled Octavia. Nebula and Gwen nodded their heads in agreement. Dew was too busy drooling and dreaming what it would feel like to be in his arms.**

 **"I'm guessing good?" said Jaune. The four girls nodded their head furiously. Jaune went back into the changing room to try out a few more clothes.**

 **"Damn girl!" exclaimed Nebula, "You hit the jackpot!"**

 **"Definitely," agreed Gwen.**

 **"Think we can share him?" asked Octavia. Dew slapped her head for that.**

Qrow spits his drink out at that one while Jaune blushes brightly. Ruby sticks her tongue out before she realizes. Blake narrows her eyes before wondering why she felt so territorial. Yang scoffs and crosses her arms. Weiss felt a pang in her chest and wondered why.

 **After modeling 30 different clothes, Jaune bought only 7 shirts, 2 hoodies, 4 loose jeans, gym wear, and a few socks and shoes. He reasoned that because he would be traveling still, buying a whole wardrobe would be pointless. He exchanged his old formal suit to get a discount on purchases. Still, the total came out to be 443 Lien. Jaune was thankful he still had some Lien cards on him. He considered opening a bank account so he could just carry a credit card instead of all this Lien on him. After packing it all inside a few bags they provided him, he found himself in a conundrum.**

 **"I don't have anywhere to put this," Jaune confessed. He didn't want to shove them in his magic bag, as it would raise questions. "Guess I'll need to go check out a room first."**

"I'm afraid there's one problem with that." Winter started, gesturing for Glynda to keep going.

 **"That's not gonna happen," said Gwen, "Because of the Vytal Festival, all inns and hotels are basically booked."**

 **Jaune hung his head, "Crap. Guess I'll be camping out tonight."**

 **"You could come to my house," said Dew shyly, "My folks won't be home for the while. They had to go to Vale for some business, and we have spare rooms."**

"Bold move, girl," Yang smirked. Jaune's face was red as he facepalmed. Pyrrha clung to Jaune like he was a teddy bear.

 **"Oooh, inviting him into your house and perhaps your bed while your parents aren't home to watch over you?" teased Octavia. Dew blushed even further at that realization.**

 **Inside Jaune's mind, Othim was laughing and telling Jaune to be a man and screw the girl. Aryz and Andusk slapped him on the head for that.**

Several blushed at the crudeness of Othim. Glynda, Ironwood, and Winter all groaned.

 **Nebula came in for the save, "Don't worry. We were all planning to sleep over at Dew's place for the next few days. Her house is closest to the shuttle that takes us to Amity Coliseum. We can head over right now and drop off your stuff. The festival starts tomorrow!"**

 **Agreeing to the plan, they all went to Dew's house.**

 **As they were walking, up on the roof stood Raven Branwen; she was standing with the ex-scouting leader, looking over the city.**

Qrow narrowed his eyes and thought _What are you up to, Raven._ Yang growled at the woman she called mom.

 **"There!" growled the one-eyed bandit. Raven quickly looked to where he pointed and saw Jaune with four girls.**

 **"Hmm. A player, huh? Still, he does seem strong," commented Raven.**

 **"Are we going to get him now?" asked the one-eyed bandit.**

 **"No. Not yet. There are too many Huntsmen and Huntresses here for the festival. We'll get him soon, though, when they're all least expecting it." replied Raven, turning around before slicing a portal open. It looks like good fortune was shining upon her.**

 **As good luck was looking upon her, bad luck was also looking at her. Qrow Branwen was lucky, or unlucky, depending on how you look at it, to see her looking at Jaune.**

"Uncle Qrow, what are you doing there?" Ruby asked.

"I'm sure it'll say," Qrow responded.

 **"What do you want with the kid?" muttered Qrow. He was at Vacuo due to a mission from Ozpin to help provide an extra hand in defending the Amity Colosseum, as well as looking out for a certain enemy.**

"And we know who that is," Pyrrha said to no one, her thoughts going to Cinder Fall.

 **This was the fraternal twin of Raven. His semblance, as it was related to his name and transformation as a crow, was bad luck. He took a sip of his whiskey, looking at Jaune before smirking.**

 **"So, he's got four girls hanging on to him, Lucky him. Just as long as he doesn't sink his claws on Yang or Ruby, I could care less," laughed Qrow. Still, he planned to keep an eye out on him just in case.**

Jaune sent a sheepish smile over the old crow who nodded in return.

 **Jaune and the girls all arrived at Dew's house, where Dew showed them their rooms. Thankfully, Jaune would be taking the guest room for himself while the Dew's room, along with a spare room, would be occupied by the four girls amongst themselves. They spent the rest of the day talking and getting to know each other. The next day, Jaune woke up at his usual time to begin training.**

 **"Whats that noise?" said Nebula sleepily as she heard some sort of swishing noise. Dew woke up when Nebula spoke out loud. Yawning, Dew looked out the window towards her backyard where the noise was coming from and froze.**

 **"Dew? Hello? Remnant to Dew?" asked Nebula, seeing her friend freeze up like that.**

 **"What's going on?" asked Octavia and Gwen as they entered in Dew's room in their sleep attire, rubbing their eyes. They had also heard the noise.**

 **"Dunno. Dew froze up as soon as she looked out the window," replied Nebula, standing up. The three girls went to take a look out the window and saw it was Jaune practicing with his sword. However, he was only dressed in shorts, letting them all see his body in full glory. As if chiseled from the gods above, Jaune showed them he had rock hard body. Pure muscles with minimal fat on his body, showing 6 pack abs. His legs were also lean, and Jaune was showing how skilled and flexible he was while practicing. Sweat was dripping from his body as he practiced with his sword.**

"Homina, homina, homina," Yang repeated. Her face a bright cherry red as looked at the screen. Ruby's face was just as bright as she squirmed in her seat. Blake's nose gushed blood from the sight and she then passed out from blood loss. Weiss' face was so bright it rivaled Ruby's cloak as the Schnee looked on while slightly drooling. Again, Pyrrha's mind went to the gutter. Winter licked her unconsciously lips as she eyed every single detail. Glynda's face was simply a bright red as she tried to regain her composure.

 **"Oum above," whistled Octavia, "I'm really considering asking if we can share him."**

 **"I'm more interested in his skills. Look at how he's swinging that blade," stated Gwen.**

 **"He must be training to be a Huntsman with those skills," nodded Nebula before shaking Dew from her trance, "Hello? Remnant to Dew? WAKE UP!"**

 **Dew finally shook out of it, blinking before blushing. She shook her head out of it. She wanted to be a Huntress! She couldn't stay daydreaming about another teenager. A strong, handsome, sweaty... oh Oum she was doing it again! She quickly went to take a shower first, leaving the rest to admire Jaune's skill.**

 **"** ** _Hey, Jaune? Did you notice the girls are staring at you?"_** **said Othim,** ** _"You realize that Dew girl was staring at you like a hunk of grade A meat. Play your cards right, and you'll become a man at the end of this festival!"_**

 **Jaune said nothing as he did a double facepalm.**

 **Jaune ignored Othim as he kept cackling with laughter. Soon enough, he was done with his training. He walked in the guest shower, cleaning up and taking a quick shower before wearing his new clothes.**

 **The girls had gone through a few rules about the Vytal Festival and what to expect at the Coliseum. Jaune disliked that he wasn't allowed to carry anything into Arena. The reason was because the Amity Coliseum was such a valuable piece of work that was the culmination of all four kingdoms, they didn't want to risk the chance of anyone stealing it, so only competitors were allowed to carry weapons, and even then they were restricted to carrying them only when it was time for them to fight.**

"I personally find that a stupid rule because you're basically leaving them defenseless except for their aura," Jaune said. Ironwood and Ozpin mentally agreed but couldn't change that rule because of the councilmen.

 **Finally, he relented and left it at Dew's house after hiding it his special bag away. They all got some breakfast and quickly hurried towards the shuttle to the Coliseum. The first fight was starting at 11:00 AM and they were not missing out on the fight!**

Glynda then closed the book and sighed "Who would like to go next."

Qrow tilted his head up and said "Pass it here. Let's get this over with."

Before they could start the next chapter a person walked into the room and it certainly wasn't Trevor. Ruby asked "Um. Who are you?"

[Hr]

 **I'm evil, aren't I? Anyway, I'll leave you to guess who it is though don't leave a comment because I want it to be a surprise. As usual, let me know where I can improve and reactions on certain parts. I personally think I overdid it a little on Yang's outburst but anyways. Have a nice day! Rate and review!**


	7. Chapter 6

The new person was skinny but not malnourished. He had a red t-shirt, blue jeans. His hair was raven black but the most interesting thing about him was his eyes; the left one was blue while the other was green.

The teen then decided to speak. "Hi. My name Azndrgn but you can call Azn. I'm filling in for Trevor because his work is taking him longer then he thought." Ruby raised her hand. "Yes?"

"What is Trevor doing and are you another god?" Ruby asked.

Azn answered, "Pretty sure Trevor wants to keep that classified and yeah; though I do some writing on the side."

"What kind of stories do you write?" Ozpin asked.

Azn smirked, "One of my books is in Glynda's hands right now."

Blake asked, in shock. "You wrote an entire universe?"

He scratched his jaw and responded. "More like documented but essentially yes. The only reason I allowed Trevor to have he book is that to make sure your dimension doesn't end up like the original." There were a few sullen faces but they understood. Glynda offered the book to Ironwood. The general sighed and opened the book to the next chapter.

 **Chapter 6: Rumble at Vacuo**

 **"You weren't kidding about VIP room," commented Jaune as they sat in a comfortable room with snacks and drinks. They were situated at a perfect height, where they could see all the fights, and yet not be too far away from seeing the details. The room even had television sets so they could watch individual fights if they wanted to. The front row seats were for competitors only.**

Yang whistles "Man! It must've been expensive to get a VIP box." Weiss and Winter agreed; they saw the prices for one once and were surprised by the figures. Ruby and Nora were munching on bags of popcorn.

 **"I know, right!" said Octavia cheerfully, "Thank Nebula and her dad for these seats."**

 **Jaune chuckled as he took a looked into a holo-display in front of him. He saw team names displayed out on who was participating along with what academy they were from, and when he clicked on the said team, it expanded to show who the members were. Apparently, as long as you were in the academy, there was no age limit. Only skill would be the deciding factor here. The teams that went into the tournament must have two professors to recommend them, by popularity from votes of students, or personally recommended by the headmaster/mistress of the academy. After that, they competed amongst themselves until there were only the eight strongest teams from an academy.**

"That sounded complex," Jaune muttered but it did make sense to him. Blake heard because of her heritage and silently agreed.

 **There were eight teams from each academy, fighting for the glory of their academy. Jaune raised an eyebrow as he quickly typed in Winter's name and found her as team captain of team WNTR. Jaune smirked at that.**

 **The dragons were impressed at the stage and how it could simulate different environments. They agreed that humans had indeed come far.**

"The culmination of the four kingdoms. It took a lot of coordination and time to complete it." Ironwood boasted.

"Don't go get a big head now, Irondick," Qrow smirked when the general grimaced. Azn snorted _Trevor actually used the nickname!_

 **"I'm rooting for team SFRN!" said Nebula, grabbing a fan flag.**

 **"It's going to be team WNTR who'll win," said Gwen, "That team, especially with Winter Schnee as captain, dominated the last tournament."**

Winter smirked at the vote of confidence.

 **"Team SLVR has some pretty hot guys," commented Octavia.**

 **"Do you have a team in mind?" asked Dew towards Jaune. He merely shrugged.**

 **Jaune and the dragons were pretty interested to see how the other Huntsmen and Huntresses in training fought. After a few matches, Jaune was inserting random tactical mistakes some teams made while praising some ideas. Nebula was exchanging plans on who should have done what. Gwen and Octavia were merely cheering them all on. Dew was trying to see what techniques she could steal or learn from watching.**

The matches showed on the screen while Jaune was muttering; identifying the techniques and moves used in the fight. Weiss is writing down the tips as fast as she could, finding this information to be useful.

 **When Winter's team came forth, Jaune cheered her on. The girls were slightly shocked to learn that Jaune personally knew her, and soon, they begged him to take them to her for an autograph. Soon, a match that Jaune never imagined came forth.**

 **"** _ **Now introducing Team SFRN of Haven versus Team ARLN of Shade!"**_

 **Jaune stood up as he saw her long-lost sister Saffron Arc standing with her team. Of course, she would be in this tournament! She was four years older than him, which meant she would be in her third year at the academy. He quickly pulled up the display and saw it was her sister in team SFRN, being the leader. He smiled warmly, remembering all the kindness his sisters had shown him. In a rare moment, a teardrop appeared in his eye.**

Jaune let out a sigh as he remembered all the good, and some bad, times he spent with his sisters. _I wonder how they're doing._ Many respected him for wanting to keep in touch with his family.

 **"Jaune?" asked Dew, noticing the teardrop. Jaune quickly waved it off, saying it was nothing before pulling up her sister's opponent. He had noticed that her sister was giving her opponent, a young boy, a death glare. The boy seemed oddly familiar. When he pulled up the name, he froze. For the leader of Team ARLN was...**

 **Aurelian Arc.**

"Excuse me?!" Yang asked in complete confusion. "What?!"

The others were just as confused. Meanwhile, Azndrgn growled like he was ready to kill someone

 **Jaune's mind froze at that. How was that possible? He knew he only had seven sisters and no brother. What was worse was the boy seemed to be the age of 18, a second year. After racing through the possibilities, it became clear. His sperm donor, Vlad Arc, apparently had a mistress or mistresses on the side and had them bear him children. No wonder his dam sperm donor never tried to find another way to teach him. He had plenty of other choices! The boy looked like a bleeding clone of his sperm donor!**

Ruby started growling like a dog, a very angry dog. Yang cracked her knuckles while her eyes turned crimson. Pyrrha wanted to try out her new weapons on the man. Weiss felt like experimenting with glyphs with the sperm donor as her target. Blake made a feline sound to show her displeasure. Ren simply glared at the screen while Nora was clutching her seat so as not to destroy the TV. Ozpin's grip on his cane tightened. Glynda's rage began to bubble up but kept it in check. Qrow and Ironwood, for once, agreed to cage the man the first chance they get. Jaune's aura flared a little.

 **Jaune gripped his hands so hard that it was bleeding. His vision was slowly turning red. Then, he felt someone's hand touch his, clearing the blood lust.**

 **"Jaune? Are you okay? What's wrong?" asked Dew. Nebula, Octavia, and Gwen turned and saw Jaune was bleeding in his hands.**

 **"It's nothing," said Jaune, "Just some bad memories. Cmon, let's watch this fight."**

 **Conceding but planning to bring it up later, for now, the girls turned their attention back to the fight. They could, however, feel Jaune's anger permeating in the room.**

"Hard not to notice," Blake said; her brows still furrowed together.

 _ **At the arena**_

 **"Chill out, sister. You'll get wrinkles," winked Aurelian.**

 **"I am not your sister. I only have one little brother, and it's certainly not you," growled Saffron.**

 **"You mean that failure Jaune? Psh, I show more talent in my pinky than his entire existence," taunted Aurelian.**

"Great," Exasperated Weiss. "He's an older Whitley."

"You hit the nail on the head," Azn confirmed.

 **"Saffron, calm down. We need you to have a clear head to win this," whispered Fizza, Saffron's partner.**

 **Saffron took a deep breath, calming down. Her partner was right; they would need a clear head for this fight. The seven sisters had learned of Vlad's mistresses and were not pleased. Yu divorced him immediately but was not allowed to gain custody of her children due to Vlad's influence.**

"That bastard," Jaune growled through gritted teeth, aura flaring. Let it be said that demons run when a good man goes to war.

 **Instead, when each girl came of age at 21, they immediately threw away their last name. T** echnically **they were of age at 17, but they needed to have the Arc last name to join any school of their choice. Saffron would be the second to last one to join her sisters. The youngest one, Orabelle Arc, was attending a civilian school, hoping to become a doctor.**

 **"For you, Jaune," whispered Saffron.**

"Thanks for everything, sis," Jaune mumbled in moment calm for him.

 **The bell rung, signaling the fight had started. Saffron immediately activated her Semblance, Enhancement. This semblance allowed her to choose what trait to enhance. She chose an all-around enhancement, increasing everything by 30% only. She would need more training to increase it, but if she chose to not increase speed, then she could put more onto power. Still, she chose this one as it would allow them to prepare for any surprises team ARLN had.**

"Interesting." Ren muttered, then asked, "Jaune, is that your sister's semblance." Jaune nodded; showing that Ren was correct.

 **Aurelian charged towards Fizza, using the Arc sword style. His great sword also had the ability to transform into an RPG if needed. Fizza tried to block it with her weapon, but with too many swings, Fizza was blasted off the stage.**

 **Saffron didn't sit still, though. She drew out her bastard sword and swung, using the same style, on her opponent. A few seconds later, he was blasted out of the stage when she pulled a trigger on her hand guard, causing her sword to explode on impact.**

"Ooh. Nice." Yang commented, getting into the fight and wanting to see Aurelian's ass get kicked.

 **The fight was long, and soon, it was a 2v3 with SFRN losing. As Aurelian fought Saffron, he taunted her once more.**

 **"How's it feel, to be weaker than me? Don't worry; I'll lead the Arc clan to greatness. Perhaps my first order will be to send a false hope to Jaune and bring him back just to crush him under my feet."**

Ironwood was disgusted by what he was reading but forced himself to suck it up. The two Beacon teams along with everyone else glowered at Ryu-Long's 'brother'.

 **"Shut UP, BASTARD!" shouted Saffron as she swung her blade. She then noticed her Aura was draining faster than normal.**

 **"Finally noticed?" said Aurelian, "My Semblance is Aura Steal. I can drain my opponent's Aura and put them into my own reserve. It has its flaws, but in the end, all shall bow to me."**

"As if I bow to a prick like you," Yang growled; ready to beat him to a pulp. Her friends agreed with her.

 **With a final swing, Aurelian swung and broke Saffron's collarbone as well as forcing her Aura into nothing.**

 **"** _ **And Saffron is out by Aura Level!"**_

 **The last one of team SFRN was also knocked out by low Aura Level. As they left for the lockers, Aurelian taunted her one last time, causing her to just grit her teeth and leave.**

 **"Well, that's the last of the fights for today," said Nebula, "Let's hurry to Atlas Academy's locker rooms! I wanna meet Winter Schnee!"**

 **The girls dragged Jaune towards those lockers. Luckily, the teams of Haven academy were located right next to Atlas while Beacon and Shade were on the other side of the arena. Jaune had no desire to see his apparent half-brother. He put on the hoodie, just in case. Truth be told, he would have rather just gone back, but the girls were too stubborn to let him go.**

Jaune sighed; knowing Ryu-Long will encounter his 'brother'. _This won't end well._ He thought.

 **Winter Schnee took a breath as she changed her clothes, leaving her weapon in her rocket locker. By rule, they weren't allowed to have their weapon while exploring the city. And she obeyed the rules.**

Azn spoke up. "Now this I can kind of understand but still don't: Why would you not let huntsman in training not have their weapons in places like Vacuo? I get it's to stop them from sabotaging the other teams but _come-on_." Ozpin and Ironwood shrugged helplessly.

 **She wasn't going to like telling her father that she was planning to join the military after finishing the academy instead of following his business, but that was for later. Plus, Weiss always wanted to be the heiress, and she had inherited the best of mother's trait as well as some of her father's trait, though a few were undesirable.**

Weiss grimaced, remembering her less than pleasant moments. Winter, again, was glad her sister's bad habits have been broken with the help of her friends.

 **She saw Saffron with a bandage and stepped to meet her.**

 **"You did decent out there," complimented Winter.**

 **"Not as good as I wanted to," mumbled Saffron.**

 **"Hey, it's okay. We all learn from our failures," said Winter, "Not to brag, but your the fact you were able to have Aurelian reveal his semblance helps my team if we face them next round."**

 **Saffron smiled, "As long as you kick their ass, I have no complaints."**

"Same here!" Yang and Nora chorused. The rest of their teammates smirked/grinned.

 **They heard a scuffle outside the locker room and went to see what the commotion was about.**

 **"You're not allowed here," said a security staff.**

 **"Cmon! Let us through," pleaded Octavia.**

 **"He knows Winter Schnee personally!" said Dew.**

 **"Pfft, yeah, and I'm the head honcho of the SDC," retorted the guard, "Get lost. We don't need fans trying to get in there."**

 **"Just let Winter see this card, and she'll know who I am," said the male in a hoodie. Winter and Saffron couldn't make out who was in the hoodie.**

"It must've been a long time if I don' recognize his voice," Winter said.

 **"Joke's over, brat!" said the guard, slapping the card up. It landed right in front of Winter, whose eyes opened wide as she did recognize the card. She picked up the card and strode forward.**

 **"Hold it!" said Winter. The guards turned around quickly.**

 **"Ma'am! Just getting rid of these pests. They won't bother you for long."**

 **"That's enough," said Winter, "It just so happens I am a personal friend with that man, as he is also a good friend of all the Schnee family, including my father."**

 **The guards paled and gulped in fear. They had just disrespected someone who was friends with someone with a lot of power. They turned back to the hooded male and begged him for mercy.**

"Someone's in trouble." Nora sang. Jaune and Pyrrha, knowing her boyfriend, thought otherwise.

 **"Relax. You were just doing your job. Just don't be so overzealous next time," said the teenager, waving them off. They thanked him and allowed Saffron and Winter to pass through.**

 _He'd make a good commander._ Ironwood thought about recruiting the boy for the Atlas military.

 **"Come. I'll take you all out for dinner at Royal Buffet. My treat," said Winter as she gave the card back to the hooded teenager. The girls cheered, as they would be spending time with their favorite team leaders. Saffron looked at the hooded teenager. He seemed so familiar.**

"I'm surprised she hasn't recognized her brother yet," Pyrrha muttered.

"He has been gone for about five years," Blake added.

 **Soon enough, they were in a private room with food being brought to them. All they had to do was order something off the menu, and it would come to them. The girls were in dreamland while Jaune was having a good time getting some delicious food in.**

 **"So, are you girls going to introduce yourselves?" asked Winter, "I already know him."**

 **The girls blushed and introduced themselves quickly.**

 **"I can't believe Jaune actually knows you!" crowed Gwen.**

 **Saffron perked up at this. Could it be her little brother Jaune? Was he alive?**

 **"Yes, Jaune Ryu-Long is a good friend, even if it for a day only. My father took a liking to him and personally invited him to a concert. It was right after that, he saved my little sister's life from a White Fang assassin," explained Winter.**

"Still can't believe father gave him a discount on all our products," Winter mumbled.

 **Saffron's face fell back down. There was no way Jaune could have made it to Atlas from Mistral. Without any Aura or funds, Jaune was most likely dead or scavenging for food. Vacuo wouldn't be kind to him, as the villagers accepted only those who could live in the desert. No pity was given.**

Ruby looked crestfallen at that. The adults sighed; some wishing they could do something about it.

 **"Speaking of which, Jaune, take off that damn hoodie," said Winter, "It's annoying, distracting, and disrespectful."**

Weiss was surprised that her sister swore but then remembered it is a private setting.

 **"Are we in a safe room?" asked Jaune. Saffron twitched but didn't change her expression. It sounded like him, but with a tone that was much deeper.**

 **"Yes, of course. This is a private room," said Winter.**

 **Jaune took off his hood and stared at Saffron, whose eyes were growing bigger by the second,**

 **"Hello, sister."**

 **"SISTER!?" shouted all the girls. Saffron didn't say anything as she threw herself at her not so little brother.**

 **"Jaune! JAUNE!" sobbed Saffron as she continued to hug him.**

Yang hugged her sister as everyone smiled at the tearful reunion. Jaune shed a tear because of Ryu-Long reuniting with one of his sisters.

 **"I'd prefer that none of this information leaves this room at all," said Jaune sternly to the rest of the occupants. They slowly nodded.**

 **Saffron soon stopped sobbing and drew her head up whispering in a quiet voice, "I can't believe you're alive and well. That sick man s-."**

 **Jaune immediately put his finger on her lips, "Let's not talk about the past. I don't want to talk about it if it's possible. I noticed I apparently have a half-brother."**

Yang and her uncle grumbled at being reminded of 'the annoying turd.' Weiss, Blake, Ozpin, and Glynda were annoyed but want to know how he came to be.

 **"Two of them," said Saffron, "That sick man decided to have two of them with his mistress. Mom immediately divorced him after she found out. Unfortunately, the Arc name is influential, and she wasn't able to gain custody of us. However, all of us decided to follow mom and throw away our last name when we hit 21. I'm the second to last one. Jaune, you should come with me! Come back home to mom and the rest of the family! Mom got a nice settlement from the divorce, and the rest of the family is doing well that we got a rather large house."**

 **"I can't," answered Jaune, "If that man knows I'm still alive, he can easily use that influence to force me back to him. There, he could easily 'hide' my body. I can't afford to be found until I hit 17 and get into the academy. If I could, I probably would have accepted the adoption that my friend and her family offered me."**

Ruby really wanted to use crescent rose on the man; along with her team as well as her fellow leader's team. The adults were again disgusted that such a man exists. Azn sighed; he himself was ready to go to that dimension and flay the man alive but doing so could cause catastrophic events.

 **Saffron hung her head down in resignation, knowing that it was true. Their conversation was held in whispers, so none of the other occupants heard what the conversation was about.**

 **"Allow me to explain," said Jaune, turning to Winter and the girls, "I said sister, but I only call her that because she used to take care of me when I was younger. Some events happened, and we were separated. She thought I died."**

 **Jaune and Saffron winced inside. They didn't like hiding the truth, but it was needed.**

Jaune sighed but he knew it had to be done. Ruby's eyes started to mist.

 **"Let's stop with history talk," said Jaune, "and talk about something else."**

 **Everyone agreed and continued to eat their dinner, talking about the competitors. Nebula, Dew, Gwen, and Octavia got their autographs from Winter, who was amused by them. Saffron talked with Jaune for a bit more about her life. Jaune, however, remained silent for the rest of the night. For Saffron, it was easy to see why he didn't want to talk to anybody. He was still reeling from the fact that Vlad had gone and sired another son, one that would take over the Arc family someday. The others huffed in irritation but left him alone with Saffron. Soon, they were all walking towards Dew's home. Dew offered Winter and Saffron to stay for the night. They shook their head and said they needed to head back to Shade academy to sleep with their team. Winter needed to plan out with her team. They offered to at least walk them safely back home.**

"At least I can keep my weapons on me at all times," Jaune commented

 **They were walking when Jaune noticed the street was unusually silent. Looking around, he noticed the nearby shops completely closed.**

 **"Umm guys? I think something's wrong,"**

 **Winter and Saffron noticed it, too, and quickly pulled out their Scrolls to call their weapon. However, before they managed to do so, their Scrolls suddenly sparked with electricity before breaking down. The same was with the rest of the girls.**

"Oh boy," Qrow mumbled. Everyone realized that Raven has finally decided to attack.

 **"Hey what gives?" asked Nebula, shaking her Scroll.**

 **"So. You're the one who my people tried to attack. How fortunate that I meet you here."**

 **They turned around to see a female with a Grimm mask covering her face. She was dressed in red and black, with long black hair and what seemed to be a giant sheath for a simple long blade.**

Yang growled at the sight of her mom; still pissed that she left her and dad behind. Qrow glared at her sister; angry for the same reason as Yang.

 **"Get behind me," said Winter quickly stepping forward. Saffron also stepped forward to shield Jaune and the girls. Both of them recognized the woman as leader of a notorious bandit clan.**

 **"What do you want with him?" asked Saffron.**

 **"Merely to talk to him. I do not need any obstacles nor distractions, so leave," replied the woman.**

 **"Not happening, Raven Branwen!" shouted Winter.**

 **"So, you know who I am," said Raven as she removed her mask, "Looks like Ironwood has trained his little dog well. Not well enough." With a snap of her finger, 10 more people showed up to surround them.**

Winter's anger shot up at being called a dog. Neither of the two teams was worried because they saw Ryu-Long fight. Qrow wasn't so confident because of that damn semblance of hers. Azn smirked; camera at the ready for the jaw-drop.

 **"Just leave the boy with us, and you'll go free without harm," said Raven.**

 **"Not happening," retorted Saffron.**

 **Very well, then." said Raven as she lifted her hand up.**

 **"Wait!" shouted Jaune, stepping forward, "You wanted me? Then talk. Why are you coming for me?"**

 **Raven smirked, "Why, don't you remember? Perhaps seeing this person might jog your memory."**

 **From behind her, the one-eyed bandit came out. Jaune's eye widened in surprise.**

 **"Ah, I see you do remember. The group of people you mercilessly killed" stated Raven.**

"Trying to guilt trip them," Azn muttered. The two teams were angrier at Raven for trying an underhanded tactic.

 **The female of Jaune's group turned to Jaune in horror.**

 **"They tried to kill me. I only acted in self-defense," said Jaune coldly. "Are you for revenge?"**

 **"I know. That's why I'm impressed. You are strong, so you live. They were weak, so they died. That's the way the world works. That's how our clan works. I'm here to offer you a choice. Come with us," announced Raven.**

"Can't believe this is who I was searching for," Yang said. Ruby climbed onto her sister's lap to comfort her.

 **"No," replied Jaune immediately, "I have no desire to become someone who preys on the innocent, who robs people of their light."**

 **"A pity," said Raven, "Perhaps you'll come with us when we separate you from your weak friends."**

Blake growled while Yang's semblance activated. Jaune's aura flared; pissed that his friends were being threatened. Pyrrha clenched her hands; fighting instincts screaming at her to help. Ruby ground her teeth; wanting to help but can't do anything. Winter did her best to keep her sister calm.

 **With a slight tilt of her head, the bandits charged. Before they could blink, Jaune had thrown his hoodie at one, blinding him and forcing him to not notice Jaune was already on him, punching the bandit right into the ground, fracturing the cement ground. Another bandit drew out his staff, transforming it into a battle ax, and tried to slice him horizontally. Jaune had his hands already formed as dragon claws, sinking his fingers into the bit of the ax, letting the edge barely touching his palm.**

"Cool!" Ruby said, stars in her eyes as she was mesmerized by the claws. Yang had to agree with the girl; they looked awesome. Weiss and Blake scrutinized the claws, taking in every detail. Pyrrha wondered how she could add that to training. Jaune looked down at his own hand, smirking. _Now I'll always have a weapon on me._

 **"What!?" shouted the bandit, trying to push his ax in with all his might. Jaune smirked as he poured a bit more aura and strength into his fingers.**

 **"The dragon's claw defy those who try to control him with power!"**

Qrow smirked at the badass line. Yang had a huge grin, Ruby looked with awe as she was reminded of the stories Yang used to read her.

 **The ax suddenly shattered into pieces. The bandit couldn't even yelp as Jaune punched the bandit in the face before doing a front flip and landing an ax kick on the man's head, leaving him unconscious.**

"Break their legs!" Nora shouted in glee. Ren knew there was no stopping her now as he sighed.

 **"So, you're strong even without a weapon. That only makes me want you in my clan even more," said Raven. "What fortune to stumble upon a diamond in the rough."**

 **"Jaune?" said Saffron in amazement. The Jaune she knew wasn't this skilled.**

"She doesn't know the personal hell I went through," Jaune said. No one could argue.

 **Jaune merely shifted back to a fighting position again. He might be unarmed but he was far from helpless; especially since he had taken off all his weights for the day.**

 **Before Raven could step forward, Winter attacked Raven. Even without her weapon, Winter had training with unarmed combat. It was a requirement upon entering the Atlas military.**

 **"Useless," scoffed Raven as she dodged Winter's attacks. Saffron was busy dealing with 2 other bandits**

 **Nebula, Dew, Gwen, and Octavia were also busy dealing with their own opponents. Jaune was fighting against Raven's top two bandits.**

Ironwood was silently thankful he made that as a requirement.

 **Winter was pushing Raven into a corner. She kept using her Semblance and summoning light Beowolves and small Nevermores to distract Raven. Raven found them annoying as she sliced them in half, only to dodge a kick from Winter as she also entered into close quarters as soon as her summons dissipated. It seemed as though Winter was winning, but in reality, she was draining too much Aura from all her attacks while Raven was barely using any. When Raven finally found herself with her back to the wall, Winter jumped into the air, her right leg raised high into the air, ready to bring it down on Raven's head. It seemed as though it would land on Raven's head when Saffron was blasted into Winter by her opponent.**

Some cringed, Winter included at the loud thud. Qrow realized her sister was using her semblance.

 **"Lucky me," said Raven as she drew out her blade. Unable to react, she sliced both her enemies. Their Aura took the majority of the hit, but they were unable to prevent a deep gash from the chest to the waist. Their bodies shimmered for a sec before it broke down, like static going throughout their body.**

 **"Urg," they both dropped down in pain. Raven lifted her sword into the sky.**

 **"Die." Raven slashed down towards Saffron's head. Suddenly Jaune appeared between them both. He had managed to push the bandits away from him to give him time to dash between Raven and her victims.**

Everyone tensed up; preying to Monty that he'll block it.

 **"Jaune! Get out of the way!" shouted Saffron and Winter.**

 **"Jaune! NO!" screamed Dew. She tried using her semblance, but it wasn't perfected yet. She had to concentrate to form a whirlwind, and the opponent she was fighting wasn't allowing her to do so. Aryz noticed, though, and was intrigued.**

 **Raven was puzzled. Why and how would this man try to block her attack with just his bare hands?**

 **Jaune smirked as he put a new technique he had learned to the test. He put his right fist up, palm upwards, letting it come near the blade that was aiming for him. He touched the side of the blade with his jutting bent thumb before twisting his whole fist and arm, resulting in a corkscrew punch. He launched it right towards Raven's face who looked shocked to see her blade sliding harmlessly along Jaune's arm while his fist was incoming towards her face. Too late to move back, Jaune landed a punch right into Raven's face, who flew back a few feet before landing on her feet again.**

Qrow's jaw might have become unhinged with how far it has fallen. Glynda stood stunned as her glasses slid down a little. Ozpin was surprised as well the only hint was raised eyebrows. Ironwood wondered how that was possible while Winter was silently grateful and wondered how that technique worked.

Both Ruby and Nora were cheering at seeing such an awesome move. Yang was grinning like a maniac and said: "I gotta learn how to do that." Weiss, Blake, Ren, and Pyrrha were amazed that the move blocked the sword with no loss of momentum. Jaune let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he leaned against the couch. Azn managed to snap a picture of Qrow's face and sent it to Trevor.

 **Everyone stopped fighting for a second. The bandits were in shock that their seemingly invincible and untouchable boss actually got hit by the teenager, while Winter and Saffron were amazed. Dew was screaming with joy inside.**

 **Raven spat out some blood while using her free hand to feel that bruise that was forming on her face. Her Aura would take care of that, but it hurt her pride that she got hit by someone who hadn't even gone to combat school. She signaled her top two men to stand down, as she would take care of this. They nodded and went after Winter and Saffron, who had managed to get back up, to prevent them from interfering with Raven's fight. Winter and Saffron had to deal with two opponents each, now.**

"At least they'll have an easier time," Jaune mumbled.

 **"I really am fortunate. You're even stronger than I thought," Raven grinned before she charged in slashing again.**

 **This time, Jaune was forced to defend as he couldn't attack her at all. She was too fast, too experienced for Jaune. He tried to use the same attack as before, but she was able to read it and dodge the attack with ease before kicking him in the stomach. Jaune blocked it, but it forced him to take a more defensive stance now. Even with his dodge training, Raven was able to predict where he would go with ease. She could slip her sword into his defense and stab him at several non-vitals. Luckily his Aura took the hits, but Raven was draining it fast. Not to mention that when she slashed, she always seemed to get lucky and force Jaune into an even worse position. Raven managed to even slash through his Aura and right onto his chest. His shirt ripped open, revealing his Mithril shirt for all to see. Jaune was lucky he had worn his shirt, otherwise, he would've been bleeding from that attack. Raven raised an eyebrow at this. So this teenager was well-connected in his sources too.**

Qrow grumbled about her semblance being too OP. Teams RWBY and NPR were really worried now that his aura was broken. Jaune gulped.

 **"** ** _Jaune. Link up with me,"_** **said Othim, no joking tone in his voice,** ** _"You can't win like this. She's too strong for you right now. We'll have to reveal your secret to these people, but at least with my power, we won't attract too much attention since it's night and our opponent has been kind enough to remove other people from this area."_**

 **Everyone stared intently at the screen; wanting to see how useful it will be in a fight.**

 **Jaune gritted his teeth. He didn't want to reveal his dragon contract and nature yet. If Vlad Arc ever found out before Jaune turned 17, he would force Jaune into a political marriage, have him make a few kids, before killing him before claiming the Dragon Clan as part of the Arc family. That and it still took awhile to link up with his dragons. It wasn't perfected yet as he didn't get all of their powers when linked, and he had to visit the last cave to train. There was also no guarantee he would win. He may have the edge in speed and power from the contract, but Raven was still far ahead of him in technical skill and experience.**

Disgust was evident on everyone's faces because Vlad would do such a thing.

 **"** ** _I know it that it's risky, but right now, that woman is a serious threat,"_** **said Lung Wang.**

 **"** ** _Show them what it means to truly fight a dragon,"_** **stated Fafnir.**

 **Jaune managed to force Raven back after taking another hit to his forearm, leaving a gash before jumping attack had managed to cut through his Aura. He channeled all his remaining Aura, and his Aura flared up for everyone to see. The Aura formed into a dragon's head, and Raven felt like she was being stared at an ancient creature far older than even the Grimm.**

Yang rubbed her hand together as she chuckled. Nora and Ruby were bouncing in their seats. Blake was very nervous, silently thankful she and Ryu-Long were on the same side. Weiss wondered if she could do that with her glyphs. Pyrrha was amazed that Jaune was able to create a dragon head. Granted, it's an aura construct but still!

 **She unconsciously took a step back when one of the lamp poles suddenly collapsed from all the fighting and fell right towards her. Raven instantly sliced the pole away.**

 **"Nice one, boss. That was bad luck that pole just fell down like that," commented a bandit.**

 **'Bad luck?' mused Raven before realizing something important. She turned around, blade up just in time to block another blade aiming right at her body.**

 **"Hello, little brother," said Raven.**

 **"Hey, sis," replied Qrow before flipping over to where Jaune was. Jaune instantly ceased channeling his Aura, interested in what was happening.**

"Now is not the time to get distracted, Jaune." Glynda reprimand. Jaune nodded but was too interested in what was happening.

 **"QROW!" shouted Winter.**

 **"Hey there, Ice Queen," answered Qrow as he shouldered his blade, "I'll talk with you later."**

 **Qrow looked at Raven, "The Hunters and Shade Academy have noticed something wrong here already and are on their way. I suggest you back off from this kid for now."**

 **Raven gritted her teeth. It looked like her luck had run out for now. Scoffing she turned around before slicing a portal open. Her bandits quickly walked in, but not before giving a death glare to Qrow and Jaune. As Raven was about to walk in, she turned around one last time towards Jaune.**

 **"Remember my offer, Jaune. You are strong and have power. My clan will always be willing to accept you as one of us if you join us. You may even become my successor. After all, not many can say they have laid a hand on me," said Raven seductively.**

 **"Cougar," coughed Qrow. Raven glared at him before disappearing into the portal.**

Qrow snorted at what his other said. Yang covered her mouth as she giggled while Jaune blushed and looked away.

 **"What did she mean by that?" asked Qrow as he uncorked his flask to take a chug of his whiskey.**

 **"I punched her in the face," deadpanned Jaune. Qrow lifted his eyebrow at that. He was impressed. Even if done by accident, it was really rare for anyone to be able to hit his sister at all: All that damn good luck helped her a bit too easily.**

 **"Jaune, are you all right?" asked Winter, still clutching her wound.**

 **"Ice queen, you should be more worried about yourself," chuckled Qrow, "With those injuries, you're in no shape to fight in the Vytal Tournament Festival."**

Winter gripped her side, thinking she got injured. Weiss may be the younger but she still worries about her older sister.

 **Winter ground her teeth at that, she had first met Qrow during earlier in her second year. At first, she admired the legendary hunter, until he started to reveal his nature as a blunt drunkard. Winter lost any respect for him then and there. It was true, though, that the recovery would take at least a week, which meant it would be too late for her to recover in time. The tournament lasted only six days, each event fight lasting two days: Two for team, two for duo, and two for solo.**

 **"Sorry about that," Jaune apologized as he scratched his head, "Didn't think she would be after me."**

 **"You have nothing to apologize for, Jaune," replied Winter, "It was just a stroke of bad luck." Qrow slightly winced at this before telling himself that this time, it wasn't his fault.**

Qrow sighed and said, "That why I'm away so much, I'm worried my semblance might affect you guys." Both Ruby and Yang hugged their uncle; saying they understood.

 **"Is that a Mithril shirt, Jaune?" asked Gwen. Everyone stared at Jaune and noticed the shimmering shirt. "How did you get that?" she continued her question.**

 **"Friend made it for me," replied Jaune before finding the hoodie he had dropped and quickly put it on, his tone telling them he wasn't going to explain.**

"Probably for the best," Blake added.

 **"Well, then. Let's get out of here. I'll accompany you to your homes before I go find the Headmistress of Shade. Tell her she needs to buff up here security," announced Qrow.**

 **Jaune, Nebula, Dew, Gwen, and Octavia were quickly taken to Dew's house, and after promising to come back, Qrow dropped Winter and Saffron back at Shade.**

 **"So, are you planning to become a Huntsman?" asked Dew to Jaune, trying to break the tension that had formed in her house.**

 **"Yea. It would be interesting to participate in the Vytal Tournament Festival. Lot's of people to fight in a controlled environment," said Jaune.**

 **"Ooh! You should go to Shade Academy with us!" said Octavia, "You'd easily get in. We can even vouch for you!"**

"It would be beneficial but I doubt it's worth it because of one person," Weiss said with distaste. No need to ask.

 **"No," said Jaune calmly, "I will not go to that one. There's a certain person in there I do not want to meet."**

 **You mean Aurelian? Sure, he beat your sister, but he can't be that bad, right?" asked Nebula. Jaune merely shook his head, unwilling to explain it further. He just told them that there was a bad history between his family and him.**

 **Dew felt her heart break** slightly **. Here was a boy she was attracted to, and he just told them flat out he wouldn't be going to Shade Academy. She wanted to either convince him to join or convince her friends to attend whatever school he was going to go, but knew that would be too selfish of her.**

Jaune mumbled n apology; not even flinching when he found out she was attracted to him. Pyrrha cuddled closer to him and leaned her head at the crock of his neck.

 **A series of knocks rang out from the door, and they knew it was Qrow. After quickly letting him in, they all went back to sleep, with Qrow keeping an eye out for them.**

 **The next few days went past in a blur. They watched as Aurelian was named champion of the 39th Vytal Festival Tournament, much to Jaune's dislike.**

Many agreed with Ryu-Long; that's going to inflate his ego more.

 **After that, Jaune decided it was time to visit the shop Hephaestus had mentioned. Before Qrow left, he called Jaune over.**

 **"Here kid. Heard you wanted to be a Huntsman. It's very rare that I give this out, but you definitely deserve this recommendation from yours truly. Show it to an academy, and it'll raise your chances to get in, even if you're not from a combat prep school."**

All of the adults were shocked that Jaune got another recommendation letter, even Ruby, and Yang. Qrow simply went "heh." and smiled.

 **Soon enough, most of the tourists left for their homes. Jaune was still staying at Dew's house for the moment while Nebula and the rest returned home.**

 **One day, while the girls were all at Shadow Academy, Jaune went to the shop** _ **Armor Amour.**_ **As soon as he entered, he heard a gruff voice, "Aren't you a bit young to not be at school?"**

 **Jaune turned around to see a gray-haired man with slightly long hair and a long beard. From his build, it was obvious he was the blacksmith Hephaestus had told him about. He was smoking a cigar pipe.**

 **"I'm here to have some armor crafted. I was-"**

 **"Not interested," replied the man. "I, Wayland the Smith, will not craft armor because some privileged snot nose brat wants me to. I already dealt with another blondie named Aurelian, who demanded I should feel honored he even chose me."**

"He's got an ego himself," Jaune commented, annoyed at being interrupted even if it was another version of him. A few smirked, knowing Wayland threw him out.

 **Jaune bit back his laughter, but Wayland caught it, "So you don't like him either."**

 **Jaune nodded his head.**

 **"Just because you agree with me, doesn't mean I'll help you still. You're just a bit higher than that brat for now," said Wayland.**

 **Jaune shrugged before pulling out a chunk of Fleytium, about half the size of the Adamantine ore back in the cave,**

Jaune immediately dug into the bag to pull out the Fleytium. Ruby stared at the metal, drooling. Yang managed to drag her sister back to her seat at her the girl's protest.

 **He had actually found in his travels and not in the caves. It was by complete accident while he was still walking towards Vacuo. He was hunting for food when the deer jumped towards the cliff, causing boulders to fall and cause a landslide. Jaune wanted to use wings to avoid the landslide, but Lung Wang told him to man up and run for his life. It was an excellent training session, in Lung Wang's opinion, but Jaune had been terrified. In the end, he couldn't outrun it, so he hopped on rocks that were falling, hoping to not fall. At the end, when the landslide finally stopped, he cheered out loud, declaring his victory. Then, another rock fell from the sky right into his face, almost knocking him out. Jaune suffered having a black eye for a few days as a reminder to always be on guard, even when certain victory seemed imminent. In turn, though, he found the ore he needed in the landslide.**

The team winced at the black eye part decided to remember the lesson. Well, some of them did.

 **"I have the materials. I just need you to craft. Hephaestus recommended you for my crafting my armor," stated Jaune.**

 **Wayland was not a person who could be surprised easily. He looked at the ore, then at Jaune, then back to the ore. He checked his pipe to make sure it was tobacco. He then puffed it again. He walked towards a window and opened it, taking a deep breath of air. He looked back at the ore again to see it was still there. He walked around it to inspect it. He touched it to make sure it was real. He stood back up to take a puff of his pipe. He sat down in his chair, grabbing his Scroll and putting it on the big screen he had on his wall. A dialing tone could be seen going out. Soon, the screen had Hephaestus on the screen.**

 **"Is this the kid who you told me about?" asked Wayland as he pointed to Jaune.**

 **Hephaestus looked at the direction and saw Jaune with a big lump of ore right next to him.**

 **"Jaune!" shouted Hephaestus, "You haven't called us in ages. Pyrrha's been quite upset and took her anger out on some poor schmucks who tried to hit on her. You're lucky I'm at Pyrrha's house right now, lemme call your 'wife'."**

"Oh boy," Jaune mumbled. Pyrrha blushed but not as heavily.

 **Hephaestus looked away from the screen, calling for Pyrrha. A voice yelled back, and when Hephaestus said the magic word, a red and bronze blur came rushing through the stairs. Hephaestus didn't even have time to move as a javelin shot out and moved him out of the way, pinning him to a wall.**

Yang, Nora, Ruby, and Qrow were laughing while Pyrrha blushed in embarrassment.

 **"Jaune! Are you all right!? Why haven't you called earlier? I was so worried!" shouted Pyrrha.**

 **"Yea, so was I, but that's no longer my primary concern," shouted Hephaestus, "I'm more concerned with explaining to your parents why I'm stuck on the wall with the weapon I made you."**

The four mentioned before started laughing again while Pyrrha covered her face with a pillow. Jaune tried his best to calm her down.

 **Pyrrha blushed before using her Semblance to unpin him from the wall, "I'm sorry!"**

 **Hephaestus grunted as he walked over to Pyrrha, taking the Scroll from her and putting it into a port on a bigger screen so they could both see Jaune without crowding around the Scroll.**

 **"Told you your wife was worried," said Hephaestus. Pyrrha blushed and punched her uncle on his arm.**

 **"Wife?" asked Wayland with an eye raise, "Aren't they a bit young? And what about her parents; I recall they're pretty strict."**

 **"Oh right, I didn't get to tell you," said Hephaestus, "Pyrrha unlocked Jaune's aura in front of us."**

 **Wayland grinned at that, "I see. And those two didn't know the significance of that, did they?"**

Jaune sighed. "We're never gonna hear the end of that."

"I just hope the news doesn't find out. They'll likely make up many wild theories, and I don't think a lot of them will be good." Pyrrha added.

 **Both Jaune and Pyrrha blushed at that. Hephaestus chuckled before getting back on track, "So I'm guessing this call is also for something else?"**

 **"Yea. I'm just going to say this once. And you know my character that it's rare I do this," said Wayland. He walked to Jaune, looking him straight in the eye. "HOW THE HELL DID YOU FIND THIS MUCH FLEYTIUM, AND AT HIGH PURITY?!"**

"He better stop before he pukes," Yang said.

Jaune said, exasperated. "I just have air sickness, ok?! It runs in the family."

 **Hephaestus laughed at the sight of Wayland shaking Jaune back and forth, "I told you the kid would surprise you. Feel like making his armor now?"**

 **"Very. I haven't had someone bring me such good materials for a long time. Most of them expect me to find it," said Wayland, "Do you have a design in mind?"**

 **Jaune nodded as he gave him a notebook, containing all his armor details.**

 **"I would give you the blueprints on a Scroll, but I was attacked while on my travels. The bandit used some sort of mobile EMP device and blew up my Scroll."**

 **Pyrrha gasped, "Are you all right? No wonder you haven't been able to contact my uncle. Do you need me to come over and give you a new one? I'm sure mom and dad will be able to get one for you."**

 **"That's all right, Pyrrha. I'll grab one myself later. I only have one and a half years left before I apply to an academy. I can last without one for the while," answered Jaune.**

 **"But I won't be able to contact you," pouted Pyrrha. "Have you decided on an academy?"**

 **"I'm not telling," teased Jaune. Pyrrha frowned before forming another question, "Is there one you don't want to go?"**

 **"Shade Academy," replied Jaune automatically.**

"No surprise there," Azn commented. Startling some, they forgot he was there.

 **Wayland chuckled, "You really don't like that Aurelian kid, don't you."**

 **"The one who was crowned champion recently?" clarified Pyrrha. They both nodded. Pyrrha secretly grinned. That was one school she knew Jaune wouldn't go, raising her chances of going to the same academy as Jaune. She didn't care if they had just won, all she cared was to be with Jaune.**

 **Wayland took the scroll off the screen and handed it to Jaune, telling him that he would let him talk with Pyrrha as long as he wanted while he started to work on the armor. They talked through the whole day, telling each other of what had happened in their lives. Golga and Leonidas joined in and saw Jaune. The whole Nikos family was talking with Jaune, as if he was their family, too.**

"I should introduce you to my family," Pyrrha said.

Jaune sighed and said. "Yeah; I'm gonna have to get their approval for real." The blonde was already dreading the meeting.

 **When Jaune told them about Dew and how she was letting her stay at her house for a bit, Pyrrha frowned. She was jealous another teenager like her was with Jaune, and what was worse was apparently her parent's weren't home either.**

 **'I'm not letting some other girl get my Jaune. I'll fight her if I have to," thought Pyrrha. She knew Jaune was a perfect gentleman and would not take advantage of Dew, but was worried that Dew might try to seduce him.**

The new couple blushed at the other Pyrrha referring to Ryu-Long like he belonged to her. Yang grinned at the new piece of blackmail. The rest of team RWB and NR blushed at varying degrees.

 **Jaune returned back to Dew's house. The days passed by and Wayland was done with his armor. Of course, Jaune went back to Wayland's house to talk with Pyrrha, who wanted to see him at every day until it was time for him to leave Vacuo. Back at Dew's house, he would talk and hang out with Dew, getting closer together.**

 **"Not bad, kid. I like how it looks," commented Wayland. Dew had decided to come with him for once, and also liked what she saw. Pyrrha was unable to talk with Jaune for the day as she had to fight and a photo shoot scheduled.**

 **Jaune had gone for a simple light armor design, allowing him to wear his hoodie. He had shoulder pauldrons on each side that extended all the way to his elbow. On each shoulder was, the pauldron was designed to look like a dragon's head. He had wristbands on both wrists that with a flick of a wrist became forearm guards should he ever need to use CQC against someone with a weapon. It extended from the back of his hand, right before the knuckle, all the way down to almost the elbow. The construction of it was that there was a plate in each section, slightly stacked after each plate end, similar to a dragon's scale. He also had leg armor that protected his shins and knees. They were loose enough that he could still wear his jeans in them. The overall color of the armor was silver.**

"wow!" Ruby said excitedly. "That looks so cool!"

"Badass," Qrow commented.

Jaune pulled out pieces of he armor then started putting them on with Pyrrha's help. Jaune smiled at the new armor while Ironwood thought of how he could incorporate that into the armor of his soldiers. Yang wolf-whistled at his new look. Blake and Weiss analyzed the armor, looking for weak points and how it all fits together

 **"I like it, Wayland. Hephaestus was right to recommend you," said Jaune as he put his shield on his back and sheath with his sword back at his waist. It was time for him to go. Fafnir had pinpointed the next and last nesting ground they would visit. It was in between Vacuo and Vale. As Jaune prepared to leave, Dew asked where his clothes were. He stuttered before lying, saying he had some of them shipped off to the next major city he was to visit. Dew questioned him further, but Jaune wouldn't explain.**

 **"Sorry, Dew. It's best if nobody knows where I'm going next. Thanks for letting me stay with you," thanked Jaune, grabbing 3 white Lien cards and pressing it into her hands. Dew gasped at the amount Jaune was giving her and tried to have him take it back, but Jaune shrugged it off.**

Jaune realized he was the center of attention. "What?" He asked, "It was to pay for my VIP seat and for letting stay at her place." Ren shook his head at how generous Jaune is, no matter what dimension. Ozpin smiled and thought. _Another reason I let him in is that of his generosity and ability to see the good in everyone._

 **"Fine," pouted Dew, "But one more thing."**

 **Dew leaned in and kissed Jaune on the cheek. She wanted to kiss him on lips, but unfortunately, Jaune had turned when Wayland called for him. Still, at least she tried, and she was too nervous to do it again.**

"Good try, girl," Yang said. Ruby wondered why she felt so annoyed because of the kiss.

 **"Remember me in your travels. I'm sure we'll meet again as opposing teams in the next Vytal Festival Tournament." Dew gave him her number, making him swear to call her once he finally got a Scroll.**

 **Jaune nodded, giving her a hug before leaving Vacuo. As soon as he hit the outskirts, he linked up with Alaerth, sprouting yellow scaly wings. He and the dragons wanted to reach the last site as soon as possible and continue his training. With a great flap of his wings, Jaune shot off into the sky and in a straight line towards the nesting grounds.**

"Wow!" Nora shouted in glee. "That's fast!" Ruby wanted to race Jaune now to prove she's the fastest.

"I think he broke the sound barrier," Blake said, wondering what Ryu-Long's top speed was.

 **Raven was standing outside of Vacuo, waiting at the main road that leads from Vacuo. She was confident that Jaune would pass by this road. If not, she had others watching the other known roads. This time, she would get Jaune. Before she could think about how to seduce him, with her body or with one of her clan members, she heard a crack of what seemed to be lightning. She didn't have time to look up when a sonic boom washed right over her, forcing her to land on her back.**

"Confirmed," Yang said; wanting a pair of wings right now.

 **"What was that?" said Raven out loud. She didn't notice that Jaune had just flown right past her. Still, she decided to wait on the road for a week. She never saw Jaune and decided to give up for the time being. She'd find him sooner or later.**

"She doesn't give up, does she?" Jaune asked, already knowing the answer.

Qrow responded. "Fraid not, kid."

Yang gave a downtrodden sigh because of her mom being a bandit and leaving her and dad behind. Ruby hugged Yang in attempt to cheer her up.

Azn cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "You guys decide who's going to read next. I'm going to go get Trevor. Hopefully, he's done by now." He walked out of the room. Winter volunteered to read next as they waited for Either Trevor or Azn to return


	8. Chapter 7

**Sorry if this one took longer then you liked but here's the next chapter! I had to take a break partially because I didn't feel up to it and- final exams are coming up.**

 **I also went back and fixed a lot of spelling and wording mistakes in the previous chapters so they should look nicer. Well, as nice as words can get.**

 **Anyways! Hope you enjoy let me know how I can improve my writing, yadda yadda yadda. Rate and Review!**

 **I don't own Ruby except for any OC I make.**

[Hr]

Glynda was back to reading the book from earlier, enjoying the little bits of humor and the relationship between the characters. Ruby settled down for a nap and unconsciously gripped the closest thing to her which was Weiss. The heiress was doing her best with the help of Yang to get the reaper off; during the struggle, Weiss realized Ruby was much stronger than she looked. Nora was gabbing about many different topics and Ren was the unfortunate casualty, but he still resigned himself to his fate with as much dignity as he could muster. Ironwood, Ozpin, Qrow, and Winter talked about what all this could lead too and how to improve the defenses. Blake was back to writing in her notebook, her cheeks having a red tint. Pyrrha and Jaune talked about their new relationship and all the stuff they're getting.

Eventually, Azn and Trevor walked back into the room; Trevor looking like he lost someone close while Azn did his best to cheer him up. Before anyone could ask, Trevor said. "Long story short: I was overseeing a mission that went south. We completed the objective but we lost a couple good men in the process." The adults shared their sympathy, Ironwood and Winter especially.

The older Schnee opened the book and began to read.

 **Chapter 7: Heading to Vale!**

 **Jaune was now sixteen, soon to be seventeen, and had been meditating within the nesting grounds of the continent of Sanus. Most of his physical training was almost complete, now he was just maintaining it. Instead, most of his time went into training with his Aura and senses. He was able to link up with any of his dragons instantaneously now and was working on linking up with multiple of them at a time. Lung Wang was still working on muscles Jaune thought he'd never use, while Aryz and Alaerth were continuing his basic education. This time, Andusk and Othim were the ones who took charge of the majority of training. Andusk was guiding Jaune how to sense other people Aura levels. The Scroll might have a system where it can sync and read Aura levels, but the ability to sense it without having to peek back at the Scroll would be much easier to keep track of in a fight. Not to mention since Huntsmen and Huntresses in training were in teams, this would allow Jaune to easily keep track of his own allies' aura level and the enemy's. Othim taught Jaune how to keep his blend in with nature or devious tactics that could disguise his intents.**

"Again: What can you not do?" Yang deadpanned. Jaune scratched his chin in thought.

 **Of course, Jaune was also getting a crash course on how to wield each element. To Jaune, it felt amazing being able to control the elements without the need to use Dust, though it still had its uses. Jaune had bought some to test out some techniques and found out he could combine it with his elemental techniques or empower it if needed, and even recharge empty Dust crystals with his elemental aura. He was able to learn the basics of Dust Manipulation, although it was easier just to link up with a dragon to use a specified element.**

"You can- I don- but th-." Weiss went on like this as she had a mental crash. Everyone else was stunned as well because of the ability to replenish your Dust supply without having to go to a store. They continued when Weiss had a chance to reboot.

 **Jaune decided it was time to head to Vale when autumn was about to end. After visiting the city, he would finally decide on which academy he would choose. Application to Academies would start soon, as they began the semester in February. Before he left, he took a bag of seeds that were in the cave. The dragons wouldn't tell him what it was; just that it was very valuable.**

"I bet it'll give him a recharge in his aura!" Nora exclaimed. A few eyebrows were raised at the thought but it was dismissed because it was Nora. Both Trevor and Azn gave a silent wince.

 **Deciding on a leisure flight, Jaune sprouted green feathery wings and flew up into the sky. As he was flying, he noticed a train in the distance. Getting closer, he saw it was carrying Schnee approved Dust cargo as well as civilians and crew members. And the White Fang had invaded it.**

Blake gulped as she realized this was the day she left the White Fang to become a Huntress.

 **Sighing, Jaune took out a piece of cloth from his bag to and wrapped it carefully around his head, allowing only his eyes to be seen. He began his dive towards the train. Sensing distress at the front cart, he ignored all the fighting at the back and shot towards it. He figured it was where all the civilians were and wanted to make sure they were safe first.**

Blake paled as she realized people might actually get hurt or even killed. The two teams didn't notice Blake as they tensed up.

 **Blake Belladonna was reconsidering her choices about the White Fang. When her father had been the leader, it had been peaceful protests, with a few riots breaking out. She was born into a legacy of trying to improve Faunus right, so when her father retired, she felt like it was her duty to uphold the legacy. She slightly felt like her father was running away from doing what he should be truly doing instead of becoming mayor of Menagerie. Not to mention she had been captivated by Adam Taurus and his passion for Faunus equality. This leads to an argument with her father, which lead to her running away with Adam to fight for equality; Adam trained her, became her friend, her partner, and later boyfriend. However, Blake failed to realize that Adam did not truly want equality. He wanted humans to fear the Faunus and felt like they were the superior beings.**

Blake looked down at the floor so as to not see her friends' faces as her whole back-story is on display. All the while she silently berated herself for not noticing Adam's behavior sooner.

 **Still, she turned a blind eye to the superiority complex. Then, Adam was given the position of leader of the Vale branch when Blake was 14 while Adam was 18. Two years had passed, and Adam's viciousness towards all humans grew to the point Blake could no longer ignore it.**

 **She had joined to Faunus to have equality, not to be feared! So, with a heavy heart, she would use the mission to rob the train to leave Adam and the White Fang for good. She would then devote her time to becoming a Huntress. With her combat skills, she was sure she could get in.**

Blake sighed as she realized that was the end of it. "Blake." The girl flinched at Jaune's tone of voice, firm and yet she didn't hear any malice. "Look at me." She didn't want to but she hesitantly did so. What she saw on his face wasn't scorn, hatred or anything like that; what she saw was sympathy, like he knew her pain. The same was true for the rest of her friends as she looked around, not a sign of hared on any of their faces. The Faunus released a breath she didn't know she was holding and leaned back on the couch.

Qrow saw no problem. Winter wanted to keep her sister away from the girl but with how casual she is around the girls, she relaxed for now. Again Ironwood wanted to arrest her but had nowhere to put and it's likely her friends including Ozpin will come to her aid.

 **They ran down the hillside before jumping onto the back of the train. The train was carrying several tons of Dust, as well as having a few passengers in the front. Adam swore that they were only going for the Dust, making Blake agree to it. After they stabilized themselves, they jumped into a cargo hold just to encounter a room full of security robots.**

 **"Looks like we're doing this the hard way," said Adam.**

 **"Don't be so dramatic," replied Blake as she got her weapon out.**

 **As Adam and Blake hijacked the train from the back, causing most of the security droids to run towards them, in the front, White Fang members disguised as civilian members took the chance as soon as security was gone to hijack the engine room and civilian cart. The civilians and crew members had no choice but to obey and were herded all in the cart right behind the engine.**

 **"Hehe, You humans are going to get what you deserve," sneered a White Fang member with fox ears.**

 **"I can't wait to see the look at the SDC's face when they find out they're responsible for the death of 'innocent' lives while also having their cargo taken," said another member with a ferret tail.**

Blake's ears flattened against her skull because of what the White Fang has become. Both Trevor and Azn tried to bore a hole through the TV with how hard they're glaring. Disgust and glares were common among the rest.

 **"They'll get what they deserve, just like the rest of humanity," snarled a member with whiskers like a rat.**

 **"Please, spare my children at least!" begged a mother of two.**

 **"Spare me your drivel," spat the fox member, "Your children are guilty already! In fact, they'll be the first to go!"**

 **The rat member giggled as he dragged the two children away from the mother. Others tried to intervene, but they were beaten up. Even civilian Faunus that protested against this were branded as 'traitors'.**

There were horrified looks among the students while the hunters were gripping their seat or in Ozpin's case his cane.

 **The rat Faunus points his gun at the two children, a boy, and a girl. The boy, who was older, hugged his younger sister as if to protect her. The man's finger twitched, ready to fire when...**

 ***CRASH***

 **The ceiling of the cart caved in. Before the White Fang members knew what was happening, a shield came flying towards the rat member. It bounced off his face and into two others, knocking them unconscious before it came back to what seemed to be a man with green feathery wings with a cloth mask. The children gaped in awe at the man who had intervened and protected them.**

Cheers came from Ruby and Nora while Weiss, Pyrrha, Jaune sighed in relief. Yang had a huge, toothy grin and said. "Badass entrance!" Qroiw chuckle and agreed.

 **"A Faunus?" gaped a female member, "But there hasn't been a report of any flying Faunus!"**

 **"Doesn't matter," growled Jaune as he punched another White Fang member; soon enough, the only conscious ones were in front of Jaune. This allowed Jaune to take off his worry about protecting the innocent. All he had to do was worry about what was in front of him.**

 **"Who are you, traitor! Why do you not help your brothers-in-race!?' snarled the fox member.**

"How dare them," Weiss growled. "They really are terrorists."

"Not everyone in the White Fang is like that." Blake countered in a solemn voice, and then muttered: "I hope".

 **"Who I am matters not," said Jaune, "You were about to kill innocent people, especially children who have not even had a chance to shine. Your lack of respect for life disgusts me. I give you this warning once. Lay down your weapons and surrender yourselves to the proper authorities. If you do not comply... then your souls will most likely be taken to the afterlife."**

 **"Ha, like I'm afraid," sneered a weasel member. "There's only one of you, ten of us, you can't fly, and you have to defend those sinners."**

"Hypocrite," Trevor said, his glare never leaving the guy on the screen.

 **His words encouraged other members to cheer and take arms. However, two of them wisely put their weapon down and had their hands on their heads.**

"Smart move," Qrow said, everyone knew he was referring to the two that surrendered.

 **They charged forward, but it was their last act. Jaune pointed his shield on his left arm and with a swift tap, a double-barreled shotgun appeared. The ones in the front widened their eyes in fear just as Jaune pulled the trigger. What was worse was the shotgun was an automatic shotgun, so 4 buck shots flew out at once. Jaune had loaded his shotgun with piercing bullets. With Jaune reinforcing himself with Aura to block out the recoil, they flew straight at the White Fang. Some of the White Fang had Aura to protect them, but the majority of them were now sporting injuries that would be fatal if not treated. Two of them were dead.**

Ruby didn't know whether to look at the weapon in awe or to look away in fear of the dead bodies. Yang cringed; sometimes she forgets the power of shotguns at close range. Blake winced in sympathy, mainly because she was a member and has been on the receiving end from shotguns in sparring with her partner.

 **One of them rasped into a comm link, "Leader... We need help; several brothers and sisters dying."**

 **Jaune smashed his foot into that one, knocking him unconscious.**

"XCOM 2 moment," Trevor whispered to Azn, who realized he unintentionally left an Easter egg.

 **He turned around to the hostages, folding his wings into his back.**

 **"Are you all alright? Do any of you need medical attention?" asked Jaune as he checked on the children who were almost killed. The mother of the children quickly ran to them, hugging hostages shook their head. Their wounds were superficial and would heal in time. However, they felt a bit queasy that the man was willing to kill. Still, it's not like the White Fang would have shown them mercy anyways. One of the crew members quickly grabbed some rope and tied up all the White Fang members. One of them was tempted to just throw them off the train, but the captain decided that they needed to report them to the proper authorities.**

 **"Hmph. Lucky little bastards" cussed the rat member as he woke up. The mother immediately kicked the rat into the wall as revenge.**

"ooh." Yang cringed. "Good kick."

 **"Are you an angel, mister?" asked the young female child who was hugging her mother.**

 **"He is, isn't he?" replied the older male child. The other adults were still in shock at being rescued.**

Jaune groaned. "First demon, now angel." He sighed and continued. "I get the feeling this is going to be a pattern for a while." Trevor and Azn smirked at each other.

 **Jaune smiled as he ruffled the two children's hair, "No, just a protector of life, a guardian against those who wish to unjustly extinguish other lights."**

"That is the goal of all hunters; protect life from those that would take it," Ozpin added.

"Depends on whose life you're saving, Ozzy." Qrow solemnly refuted. "Some just can't be saved."

 **At that, he turned around to head towards the back of the train.**

 **"Where are you going, mister angel?" Asked the younger child; the other adults asked the same thing.**

 **"There are still two more White Fang members, much stronger than the ones here. From what I can tell, they are heading here. I'm going to stop them from getting here," said Jaune as he ran through the door and flew out.**

"I hope Adam gets arrested," Jaune said he wrapped an arm around Pyrrha. Blake thought otherwise.

 **Blake and Adam were rushing towards the front of the train. They had just defeated a mecha-spider, and Blake was about to enact her plan when they got an SOS. When Adam received the SOS message, he was furious and ran. Blake was also mad that some of her White Fang brothers and sisters were in danger, though she wondered why they were at the front of the train. The plan was only to hijack the Schnee's cargo, or at least that was what she had been told. That, and also when Adam told her he was planning to blow up the train without any care of the crew members, which was a surprise for her.**

"If I did notice then it wouldn't be a surprise to me and I would've left sooner," Blake said, still upset at herself for not noticing Adam's change sooner.

 **Suddenly, they saw a man with green feathery wings floating in front of them.**

 **"Going somewhere?" asked the winged figure as he floated down to the floor, withdrawing his wings into his back.**

 **Jaune observed the two who had been running towards the front. The red-haired bull Faunus with the Grimm mask was definitely strong, and so was the pale girl with black hair. At this, Jaune was slightly confused. The girl didn't seem to be a Faunus, and yet she was running with the White Fang? That she seemed very familiar. Almost like someone he saw in Menagerie. Then, Jaune remembered Kali Belladonna. Grabbing the photo from his bag, he took a look and glanced at the female; they looked very similar. And the bow on the girl's hair was something Kali told him about too.**

 **"Faunus brother, why do you fight against us? I am Adam Taurus, leader of the Vale branch of the White Fang. This is my partner Blake Belladonna," said Adam.**

"Wow." Yang drawled then smirked. "He's so bull-headed." Yang received a pillow to the face for that one.

Blake gave a frustrated sigh and said. "As bad as that pun was, it's actually pretty accurate."

 **'Well, that answers my question if that was Blake,' thought Jaune mentally.**

 **"Come with us. With your flying ability, we could show those humans what equality is," continued Adam, trying to work a silver tongue. Jaune saw right through it.**

 **"Several problems with that," said Jaune, "I can tell you're not about equality. You're all about revenge and wanting to show who the superior race is. You're willing to kill other Faunus who don't follow your ways. You're willing to extinguish the lives of innocent civilians. Your members tried to shoot children in front of a mother."**

Tears welled up in Blake's eyes at being reminded of that part. _Are those in the White Fang becoming savages?_ She thought. _I'm not sure I want to know._

 **Blake widened her eyes at that. She looked at Adam and was further shocked that Adam didn't even seem to care.**

 **"And your point?" asked Adam, "Those filthy humans deserve what's coming to them. Them and their spawns; I was planning to plant some bombs anyways."**

 **"Adam! You promised nobody would get hurt!" said Blake.**

 **"Shut up! It's only a few people for the glory of the entire Faunus race!" snarled Adam.**

"Where's the glory in killing the innocent?" Trevor asked.

 **Jaune was convinced. Blake merely wanted equality but still had some morals. Adam just wanted to kill anyone in his way.**

 **"I've heard enough," said Jaune as he drew out his blade and shield from his back.**

 **"Hmph. Fine then, traitor," said Adam. The three of them stared at each other for a bit. Suddenly, behind Adam and Blake, a mecha-spider came out, guns blazing.**

A few were surprised by the giant spider. "You had two on the train?" Blake asked the Schnees.

"Apparently," Weiss said, not completely sure herself.

 **"I thought you destroyed it!" shouted Blake as she dodged the blasts.**

 **"I did! This must be another one! I'll take care of this robot, go for the traitor!" shouted Adam as he charged towards the mech.**

 **Blake charged towards Jaune, who had his weapon ready. He quickly flicked his shield to hand cannon mode and shot Blake's knee. It seemed to hit, but suddenly, Blake left a shadow in its place and dodged it, swinging her blade at Jaune. Jaune swung his blade at the sword, forcing her to back up. She dashed forward, and the two clashed blades. Blake tried to use her agility but was easily negated. Getting desperate, she jumped above Jaune. Jaune responded by doing a vertical thrust kick with his left leg. Again, she used a shadow to take it and got behind Jaune when she landed.**

 **"** ** _Interesting,"_** **said Othim,** ** _"This girl's semblance is Shadows. She makes solid shadow clones to aid her in taking hits, distracting, or propelling herself forward."_**

"That pretty much sums up your semblance, huh?" Yang asked. Blake simply nodded in confirmation.

 **As Othim was saying it, Blake made another one and used it as a foothold to dash towards Jaune's open back. Jaune was still in his vertical thrust kick position, so he merely hopped with his right foot before performing a spinning kick with his right leg right towards Blake's head. Blake gasped and blocked it with her sword. The impact forced her down to her knees.**

 **"Blake!" shouted Adam as he dodged another shot from the mecha-droid. He needed time to channel some Aura into his blade and absorb some attacks if he wanted to use his Semblance Moonslice.**

Yang glared at Adam from hearing his semblance; the same thing that took her arm. She was still sore about that.

 **Blake gritted her teeth and pushed Jaune off before jumping back, collapsing her weapon into another mode and throwing her weapon Gambol Shroud at Jaune. He ducked under it before noticing there was a ribbon tied to it.**

 **With a pull, the gun-blade let out a firing noise and came flying back towards Jaune's head. Jaune quickly did a backflip to dodge it. Blake, figuring she had the advantage at range, started to swing it like a kusarigama. However, Jaune easily blocked or dodged them all before pointing his shield at Blake and fired his hand cannon. Blake paused her attack to dodge it, but it gave enough time for Jaune to close in bash her with his shield. Stunned, Blake couldn't' move in time before Jaune's sword slashed down. The attack drained her Aura to almost nothing. Before she could try to run, Jaune had sheathed his blade already, using the free hand to pin her down to the floor.**

"I was pretty much doomed to fail before the fight even started," Blake said. Yang patted her back in support.

 **"Let me go!" shouted Blake, struggling as hard as she could.**

 **"I'm here on behalf of your mother and father, Kali and Ghira Belladonna," whispered Jaune.**

 **Blake instantly froze up at that. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" she whispered.**

 **"I have a letter, a locket, and a picture of you in my bag that they gave me to give to you. But let's do that later. From what I can tell, you don't want to be in the White Fang anymore, right?" whispered Jaune. Blake nodded in reply.**

 **"Just trust me," whispered Jaune.**

"Sometimes trust is all you need," Trevor said.

"True," Ozpin agreed. "But some people don't trust others that easily."

 **Suddenly, he let go of Blake. Blake looked up to see Adam had run towards Jaune and tried to cut him in half. Jaune looked at Adam before saying, "Watch out behind you."**

 **Adam looked back to see the mecha-droid kick him towards Jaune. Stumbling, Adam got back up to see Blake about to be stomped. Suddenly, Jaune dashed forward and repelled the offending leg with his sword before picking Blake up. He jumped back, growing his wings and flew towards the end of the cart they were on, setting her down at the next one.**

 **"New intruder detected. Acquiring target," stated the robot before firing at Jaune.**

 **"Oh CMON!" shouted Jaune as he blocked the attack with his shield. Fearing that Blake would get hurt, Jaune jumped forward besides Adam.**

"Personally, I don't like robots as soldiers because they can and will be hacked," Trevor spoke up. "It doesn't matter how or when because they will. Not to mention that they don't have that human reasoning like we do." Ironwood mentally cringed because most of the army he deployed to protect Vale, most of Atlas' military, in fact, was made up of robots.

 **"Truce for now?" asked Jaune.**

 **Adam gritted his teeth. He really wanted to hurt the masked man, but he wasn't strong enough to destroy a second spider droid by himself. "Fine," he spat out. "Buy me some time." Adam got into his Iaido stance.**

 **Jaune ran forward, dodging the blasts the mech was firing before stopping right under its face. With his left hand holding the shield was placed under the blade with Aura channeled into the sword, he leaped up, smashing his blade into where the computer's jaw would be. The mech stumbled back from the attack, and Jaune aimed his shield, switching it to a shotgun before firing all available bullets. The mech transformed to use its big gun, sweeping it into Jaune to force him away. Jaune was already flying back thanks to his shotgun recoil, so it missed. As he landed, the mech was charging up its attack.**

 **"MOVE!" shouted Adam. Jaune acknowledged and jumped back behind Adam. The mech fired its shot, in which Adam unsheathed some of his blade to absorb it. After the blast was done, he re-sheathed it, his body starting to glow. Anything red on him glowed with power.**

"This is Adam's semblance," Blake spoke, "It works a lot like Yang's but he has to absorb the kinetic energy with his sword and unleash it all at once. You can tell he's going to use it by the red glow." Yang made a mental note to watch out for the glow and take his sword away from him.

 **However, this spider mech had seen what Adam had done to the other mecha spider and learned. Instead of jumping and charging at Adam, it charged up another shot.**

"Yo, Ironman," Qrow called. Trevor and Azn snorted. "Are the new versions of your bots programmed to learn?"

"Most likely, but I'm not a hundred percent sure," Ironwood answered, ignoring being called Ironman because it was better than the other one.

 **'Shit!' thought Adam. He wasn't able to absorb another shot as his Aura levels were low, and he didn't have enough time to dash towards the robot to attack it. Suddenly Jaune appeared in front of him, shield raised up. Jaune focused as much Aura into his shield while linking up with Fafnir. The blast fired right at Jaune's shield. Jaune gritted his teeth, trying to stop himself from flying. He felt someone lean into his body, and looked over to see Adam trying to help stabilize him too.**

 **"Don't get used to it," muttered Adam.**

Blake sighed as she remembered the times when Adam was a nice guy.

 **Soon enough, Jaune was able to repel the shot away. Taking this chance, Jaune grabbed Adam by his coat and threw him at the robot. Understanding what Jaune was trying to do, Adam let himself be thrown. While in midair, with momentum on his side, Adam activated his semblance. He put all his power into his sword and sliced the robot in half, causing it to wilt away into rose petals. Adam quickly pointed his shotgun sheath and fired into the ground to prevent him from crashing into the floor. Adam sheathed his blade before looking back to where Blake was and was surprised to see her standing at another cart. However, in her eyes, he could see what she was going to do. He raised his hand, but Blake had made her choice. She could no longer condone what Adam was doing, and was breaking up with him and the White Fang.**

 **"Goodbye."**

 **She sliced the connection, leaving Jaune and Adam behind. Adam got his goal of tons of Schnee dust but lost his lover and the chance to kill humans. Growling, he turned to Jaune to take his anger out on him just to find out he had also disappeared. Adam looked up at the shattered moon and roared in anger.**

 _His hatred has corrupted him, turning him into an actual monster._ Blake thought with tears in her eyes. She may have broken up with him but it still hurts to see him like that.

"Children," Glynda started "Please, try and control your anger lest you become like Mr. Taurus." It might have been a low-blow but it needed to be said.

 **Blake looked into the distance as the train pulled further away from Adam. She heard wings flapping, and soon Jaune was standing next to her.**

 **"You've made up your mind?" he asked.**

 **Blake nodded. She had been planning to break away from all this anyways.**

 **"Cmon, we can't stay on this train for long," said Jaune. "I'll fly you to a village. You can walk to Vale from there."**

 **As he spread his feathery wings again, a door opened, and a boy popped out from the door.**

"Wow, what timing," Nora said.

 **"Are you going now, mister faceless angel?" asked the boy. Jaune nodded, and the child bowed his head, "Thank you for saving us. I was terrified, but I wanted to protect my younger sister. And yet, I couldn't do anything."**

 **Blake looked away in shame. She had never thought the White Fang would go so far to killing innocent children.**

 **"Don't say that," said Jaune kneeling down to the boy, "It took a lot of courage to try to protect your sister from threats. Cherish that feeling. Maybe you'll grow up to become a Huntsman someday."**

 **The boy's eyes widened in amazement and awe, looking up at the man as an idol.**

"Hope can help ordinary people do great things," Ozpin said.

 **"Here," said Jaune, pulling from his bag a red Lien card. "Use this money to buy your sister a new toy. She'll have nightmares after this, but I'm sure with the right tools, you can help make it go away."**

When several people gave Jaune a questioning glance, he said: "I just did what I thought was right." Pyrrha gave her boyfriend a loving smile gave him a quick kiss on the lip. All of team RWBY felt jealous and had no idea why.

 **The child widened his eyes and thanked Jaune again before running into the cabin, "Mommy Mommy. The angel gave us money to help us!"**

 **"Let's go," said Jaune. He picked Blake up bridal style and jumped off the train, flying away.**

Blake did her best to keep her face neutral but her cheeks betrayed her. Yang had a Cheshire grin at the new piece of blackmail though for some reason she didn't know; she was envious.

 **Moments later, the mother opened the door, wanting to give back the money as she felt like she couldn't take such a generosity from him, just to find herself looking at a platform with nobody on it. A feather floated down from the sky in front of them. The mother decided to keep it as a treasured memory of how she was saved from a horrible fate.**

 **"Mom, will we see him again? And who was that?" asked the two children. The mother smiled as she hugged her children, "Who knows. But I have a feeling that was our guardian angel for the day."**

"Hoo boy," Jaune muttered, knowing that legend will spread pretty quickly.

 **Blake felt a little embarrassed. She had just broken up with Adam, and already she was in another man's arms. Granted, he felt warmer and kinder than Adam. While flying, she was suddenly reminded of a vivid scene from her... adult erotic fiction book.**

"Smut," Yang said.

Blake was angered by this and said, "It's not smut! It's art!" The two gods could barely keep their laughter in but thankfully no one noticed.

 **She cuddled closer to keep herself warm. Soon enough, Jaune was descending down towards land, just a mile from a village. Blake hopped off before turning around to Jaune, who was leaning on a tree.**

 **"Who are you? And why does a winged Faunus like you exist? I don't think there are any Faunus that can fly like you," said Blake.**

 **Jaune chuckled, "Jaune Ryu-Long. A traveler; and who said I'm a Faunus?"**

 **Blake's eyes widened as Jaune took off the mask, revealing his face. "But, wings! Animal Part! Flying! Human can't fly!" stuttered Blake.**

"Boop, boop," Nora said while doing the crazy gesture. Blake blushed in embarrassment.

"To be fair, this Blake didn't know about Ryu-Long's semblance." Winter defended. Blake was surprised a Schnee did so but was nonetheless thankful.

 **"Part of my Semblance," said Jaune. He just failed to mention he had other powers with it. He grabbed the letter, locket, and picture before tossing it to Blake. She looked down, opening the locket to see a picture of her family, all happy. She let a tear drop down at that.**

 **"I should've listened," cried Blake, "They knew Adam was bad news, but I was too blinded by my crush, my adoration for him."**

 **"Hey, it's okay. From what I could tell, they miss you just as much as you miss them, and are willing to forgive you," said Jaune.**

Blake sniffed as tears leaked from her eyes; she missed her parents so much.

 **Blake nodded before opening the letter. She read it through 4 times before putting it down. She was just not prepared for this day. She blinked a few times before reading it again.**

 **"You donated 15,000 Lien for my home village!?" Blake asked in amazement.**

 **"Yea. Felt it was the right thing to do. Your mom and dad helped me a lot," answered Jaune. Before he knew it, Blake had done what her mother done before and leaped onto him, purring. The ribbon on her head fell off from the impact, revealing her cat ears.**

The teams were shocked that Blake can purr. "You can purr?" Yang asked as she reached for the Faunus' ears.

"Yang! Don't you-!" Blake didn't get to finish her threat when the pleasure of being petted washed over her as she started to purr like an engine. Blake managed to gather herself and batted away the blonde's hand who was smirking. "Just keep reading." The cat-Faunus demanded.

 **'Well, she definitely is her mother's daughter,' thought Jaune when he saw the cat ears before noticing a slight smell. He looked down to see Blake was a bit aroused, her eyes gone into slits. It was like she was looking at a tasty fish she wanted, and Jaune was the fish.**

 **"Umm, Blake? Can you stop that?" asked Jaune fearfully.**

Blake's ears flattened against her head as she let out a low whine of displeasure. "Mom coated the letter with catnip." She said in a depressed tone. Yang wanted to find out what happens when Blake smells catnip but the answer is right in front of her. Jaune is starting to get uncomfortable with the way the other Blake is looking at Ryu-Long.

 **"** ** _Buhahaha! She likes you. Take her as a mate, I'll use my power. Her Semblance matches mine perfectly!"_** **shouted Othim. Jaune couldn't really disagree, as he did think Blake was quite beautiful, and it was a perfect match for Othim's powers. However, his pride and morals wouldn't let him take the girl, as he would end up being at the bottom, and this really wasn't the place to even do it. Not that Jaune wanted to do it anyways.**

 **"Mmmm why should I?" purred Blake, rubbing her cheeks on his, "My mother and father have given their blessings for me to date you. You know how hard it is to impress them, especially my father? The fact you did it makes you so much more desirable. I can smell you're very strong while also being kind and generous. We can recreate one of the scenes from my book right here."**

Blake face looked like it was trying to beat Ruby's cloak in redness, and succeeding. A light dusting of red came over the rest of team RWBY as well as JNPR. Qrow covered his eyes as he genuinely felt bad for the girl which is something he doesn't feel often.

 **Sighing, Jaune linked up with Ryo-Wo before manipulating some water out of the tree with a wave of his hand, causing it to dry up. Blake didn't notice it at first, but when Jaune let the water fall down on her, she jumped back in surprise. Blinking a few times while still wearing a wet t-shirt, she suddenly had arm covering her breasts while the other covering her mouth, blushing heavily.**

 _I just flashed him!_ Blake mentally shouted while covering her own bust; feeling so embarrassed but why did she want him to keep staring? Yang covered Ruby's eyes, to her protest, when she saw the water coming down. She won't admit it to anyone but that happened to her once when she spilled a drink on herself at home. Luckily her dad took Ruby out on a hunting trip at the time. Weiss was considering whether or not to start wearing clothes with different colors.

 **Blake was usually stoic, but she certainly was breaking her record of being embarrassed. She couldn't believe she had just pounced on him, basically demanding his seed. She had just broken up with Adam! Was she that affected by finding a rebound man? She shook her head at that. She knew she had already been falling out of love with Adam, and that act back there merely concluded it, although she couldn't deny that some part of it was to blame, as well as the emotion of finding her family was still accepting of her and all that Lien Jaune had just selflessly donated for the village. She looked down to see her shirt was wet and clinging to her skin, showing her assets more prominently. Before she could do anything, she felt something land on her. She looked to see it was a hoodie.**

 **"Sorry about that. Wear my extra hoodie for now," said Jaune.**

"Thank you." Blake heaved a sigh of relief. "At least it's over."

"You just jinxed it," Trevor said. Blake groaned and propped her knees up while wrapping an arm around then, she then let her forehead drop into the crooks of her arms.

 **Blake nodded and quickly wore it. It felt warm, and she could smell his natural scent on it. It was like he was hugging her, whispering in her ears. Blake quickly shook those thoughts out. She had been reading** _ **Ninjas of Love**_ **too much. She quickly found her ribbon and tied it into a bow to hide her cat ears.**

 **They quickly arrived in town, where Jaune found an inn where they could stay. Grabbing two rooms, much to Blake's complaint, they retired for the night.**

"Hoping to share a bed with him?" Yang teased. Blake said nothing.

"Enough." Glynda scolded. "She is embarrassed enough as is. I suggest you leave her alone for now." The tone of her voice meant it wasn't a suggestion. Yang wisely shuts up and nodded.

 **Blake found herself awake much later than usual. Yawning and stretching like a cat, she walked out the room, intending on apologizing to Jaune for her actions. Knocking on his door, she waited for a few minutes before going into the room just to find it empty. Quickly dashing towards the innkeeper, she asked where Jaune went. The owner said Jaune had left at the break of dawn but had paid for breakfast for her. Blake felt saddened that she may have just scared away a potential suitor when the owner gave her a letter, saying it was from Jaune. She opened it to see four 100 Lien white cards fall out and a letter. Quickly grabbing it all, she sat on the table to read it. She sighed in relief when it was Jaune merely saying that he had business and that he couldn't afford to stay. He promised that they would meet sometime in the future, and to use the money to buy some clothes. As breakfast came, she looked out the window.**

 **"We'll definitely meet again, Jaune Ryu-Long. It's a promise."**

 _Potential suitor, huh Blake?_ Yang asked in her thoughts as she grinned. Blake moved her hands to cover both sets of ears. Eventually, Blake came back out of her spiral of depression but was still very red.

 **This time, Jaune was running, linking himself to Fafnir; by manipulating the earth to his will, he was able to cover great distances, although not as fast as flying. Still, Fafnir wanted to have some fun once just running on the ground. Suddenly, Andusk spoke up.**

 **"** ** _Stop. I sense something; something with great potential and containing some of my power."_**

 **"Your power?" asked Jaune.**

 **"** ** _Yes. During the time when the Dragon Clan was still alive, there were a select few people with my blessings. They were able to strike fear into the Grimm, similar to how the Grimm do not try to provoke a dragon. They were the people with silver eyes. If used to its fullest potential, then it can strike down Grimm with a mere glance. This power was a way to combat Grimms. Although the stronger and older the Grimm, the harder it is to kill it._**

Quite a few eyebrows were raised at this. Weiss asked the gods, exasperated "So Ruby can just glare at a Grimm, tell it to die and it will?" Both Trevor and Azn confirmed this. Ruby had stars in her eyes as she could imagine and version of herself taking down entire hordes of Grimm with her teammates and her new husband Jaune-! Wait, what was that?

 **"** ** _Making a mark?"_** **smirked Othim,** ** _"And you call me shameless."_**

 **"** ** _Still, we should check it out,"_** **said Lung Wang,** ** _"We should still have time before it's time to apply to become a Huntsman. Have you decided on which school?"_**

 **"Almost. I'm not going to Shade for obvious reasons. I read up on Atlas and didn't like how the military plays a hand into its academy. Most likely they would forcibly enlist me if they found about you guys. The only two are Haven Academy and Beacon Academy, at Mistral and Vale. I think Beacon might be the best. It's said to be a beacon of light for all to gather. That, and I'm still a little angry about the rich district incident," explained Jaune.**

Ozpin smirked but hid it behind his coffee cup. Ironwood was upset that Ryu-Long wasn't coming to Atlas but there was nothing he could do about it. Winter was upset as well but for different reasons.

 **"** ** _Then we should head to Beacon after this side trip. Give your recommendation letters to the headmaster of the place, and see if he'll allow you in with a test,"_** **said Ryo-Wo.**

 **"** ** _You should have nothing to worry about_** **,** ** _"_** **soothed Aryz,** ** _"You were able to impress two combat school teachers into giving you those recommendations."_**

 **"** ** _Not only that, but your skills have improved vastly,"_** **said Alaerth.**

 **Jaune smiled as his dragons complimented him on his growth. Lung Wang reluctantly complimented him, but also told him he could still improve himself.**

"There's always room for improvement," Winter said, Glynda, hummed in agreement.

 **Soon, they saw an island in the distance north of him. Jaune was prepared to fly, but Ryo-Wo told Jaune to link up with him and swim to the island. This was a perfect chance to get used to his power and swimming. Jaune complained about how it would be cold, as winter was setting it, but Lung Wang told Jaune to just man up and do it. Sighing in defeat, he put his weapons into his bag before making sure it was tied up. The dragon skin bag would prevent water from coming in, but only if the top was tied.**

"Don't wanna accidentally drain the ocean," Trevor said. Qrow and a few other chuckled at the mental image.

 **Jaune swam all the way to the island, actually enjoying himself. Due to Ryo-Wo, he didn't feel cold in the water at all. After an hour of swimming, he finally arrived at the island. Getting on shore, he quickly switched to Ryo-Wo and used some fire to warm himself up and evaporate the water on his skin and clothes. It was snowing on the island, but Jaune didn't feel cold thanks to his dragons**

 **"Gotta love being able to do that," said Jaune as he whistled a song, walking to what seemed to be the what seemed to be the source of the Aura of the person with silver eyes.**

"Look like Jaune is going to run into us, Rubes." Yang said to her sis who gave a "Yay!" as a response.

 **Ruby Rose was a young teenager with black hair with a tint of red in it wearing a red cloak with a gothic dress with red frills. She had just turned 15 and was looking over a grave. More specifically, her mother's grave. She always made sure she had time to visit the grave. Ruby Rose sighed as she tried to picture her mother. She had been too young to remember and understand that Summer Rose was dead. Sure, she had her half-sister Yang Xiao Long tell her all about how awesome she was, but it still ached in her heart.**

Ruby's smile died at the sight of her mother's grave. While the reaper has moved on, it still hurts more than any physical pain can be. Yang wrapped an arm around her sister, trying to hold back tears herself.

 **Ruby turned around to go home. Her father and sister would be worried if she stayed out too long; even if she could take care of herself. She was a growing girl! After all, she drank milk!**

Quite a few snickers came up from that while Ruby blushed in embarrassment; _When is that growth spurt going to hit?!_

 **As she cleared through the forest and into the open plains, she saw Beowolves gathering. Smirking, she prepared herself. As three Beowolves charged at her, she jumped into the air. Spinning gracefully, she took out her weapon in its collapsed form, making it extend a bit at the pole, and shot a Beowolf in the head. When she landed on the ground two more charged at her.**

"Where was I, sis?" Yang asked as she crossed her arm.

Ruby had a deadpan stare and said: "You were getting in the shower when I left, Yang and you take forever in there." The blonde brawler sighed as her sister made a good point. Blake and Weiss were glad that they don't run out of hot water at Beacon.

 **Leaping over one she put a bullet in the back of its skull and used the recoil to increase the distance of her jump. The next shot tore most of a Beowolf's chest from its body. Once she was back on the ground she fired point-blank into the next Beowolf to attack her and rolled back with the recoil and activated her weapon's shift into scythe mode.**

 **One Beowolf was braver, or was dumber, then the rest and charged head-on. Ruby pinned it to the ground with a downward strike. It leaned forward to bite at her only for her to fire once more and cleave the creature in two. With that, the rest of the pack charged as Ruby planted the scythe's blade in the ground. The Grimm were soon met with a volley of gunfire that mowed down their numbers.**

"Try and not let a beowolf get so close, Ms. Rose; it could have bit your face." Glynda lectured. Ruby nodded in understanding.

 **The fastest Beowolf reached Ruby and swung at her only for her to jump over its claws and shoot it point-blank in the face, actually helping it in the looks department. As she was shot back from the recoil Ruby pushed the blade into the ground again and slowed herself to a stop, landing in a crouch on the handle of her weapon.**

"I think I gave him too much Dust." Ruby joked. Yang snorted and laughed while a few others chuckled as well. The monochrome duo and Qrow were thankful that Ruby's puns were better than her sister's.

 **More Beowolves came running from the woods, Ruby ducked under the first assault, spinning on her side and pressing her feet against the underside of the hook on the back of her scythe. With a pull of the trigger another Grimm bit the dust and she was sent flying back in a spiral, hitting the Beowolf that had just failed in attacking her moments earlier. Swinging her blade around she cut into the chest of one Beowolf before spinning it around her head in a deadly circle that cut both the Beowolf in front of her and the one that she had previously knocked down into pieces.**

 **Using the momentum of her attack Ruby caught another Beowolf on the neck before pulling the trigger to shoot another bullet with the recoil decapitating the Grimm caught in the scythe's deadly bite. Dancing around another assault Ruby dug her scythe into her next opponent and fired, bisecting the first Grimm and shooting the one coming from behind her victim.**

"You were having too much fun, weren't you?" Weiss accused. Ruby shrugged her shoulders and smiled. Qrow shook his head but had a smirk as well.

 **Using an incredible display of acrobatics Ruby dodged her next two attackers before rushing at the first once more and dismembering it, the force of the last attack being used to propel her into the air and onto the back of the next casualty. Another shot saw one more Beowolf a head shorter and Ruby flying into the air. Beowolves leaped after her only to be caught in a game of leapfrog with Ruby bouncing off their corpses after she killed them to reach her next target. A swing from one Beowolf came at her and she blocked with her scythe but was sent sliding back in the snow.**

 **Taking note of how more reinforcements had arrived Ruby replaced her bullets for those with more power and shot herself forth activating her semblance. Rose petals flew through the air as she began a dance of death. Each twirl claiming at least one victim, body parts soon joined the bullet casings and petals flying through the air.**

"That's my niece," Qrow stated proudly. Ironwood was impressed that a girl so young can wield a scythe so easily but he didn't let it show.

Yang smirked. "Yup, Ruby is Grimm Reaper." Many people groaned at that while the sister whacked her over the head with a pillow.

 **Ruby smiled as she finished off the last of the Beowolves, with the sky raining empty sniper clips into the ground. She quickly collapsed her scythe before walking towards home again. Suddenly, one of the Beowolves that had been hiding burst out, ready to take a bite out of Ruby. Ruby was prepared to dodge when she heard a sniper rifle go off, killing the Beowolf.**

"Pretty sure this is where I come in." The blonde knight stated.

 **She turned to see a teenager walking forward towards her, with the only visible weapons being the sword in his waist and the shield on his back.**

 **'Where did the sniper come from?' thought Ruby, 'Is his sword able to transform into a sniper rifle? I WANNA SEE IT!'**

Ruby was a little embarrassed her thought were displayed, figuratively, to everyone. Yang a Qrow smirked and thought. _Some things never change._

 **Jaune got closer to Ruby to see that the girl did indeed have silver eyes.**

 **"** ** _This girl does possess the blessings,"_** **mused Andusk,** ** _" However, it seems as though she has not awakened it. The cause could be that there is nobody that can teach her and that she doesn't know about the legend herself."_**

 **"Hi. I'm Jaune Ryu-Long, a traveler. I saw you take out the group of Beowolves, and was impressed. I knew you could probably take out that last one, but I decided to help anyway. Didn't want to risk anything," said Jaune as he introduced himself.**

 **"Ruby Rose," replied Ruby, "Can I see your weapon? I heard a sniper, but I don't see anything like one on you. Is it the sword? Or the shield? Oooh, ooh, maybe you combine them both!"**

Ruby blushed as she covered her face with the pillow from earlier. "Is she always like that before Beacon?" Jaune asked.

"Yup." "Pretty much." Yang and her uncle confirmed much to Ruby's displeasure.

Weiss sighed and said. "Come on, Ruby. It's not that embarrassing; though I do wish you wouldn't drool over every weapon you see." Ruby eventually removed the pillow but still held it in her hands. Winter was surprised at how close the two are but then again they are partners.

 **Jaune chuckled. He was going to like Ruby a lot. Her personality was something he could appreciate. "That'll be a surprise. I'm only here because I felt like it. Where am I anyway?"**

 **"You're at Patch, west of Vale, where Signal Academy is. I go there with my sister, Yang. I just finished my second year while she just graduated. Do you wanna meet them? My uncle might be visiting!" said Ruby. Excited about the last part she had just said, Ruby dashed towards her home, using her Semblance. Jaune looked impressed at the speed she was running, with rose petals flying about.**

"Rose petals?" Winter asked.

Yang clarified. "They're actually made out of Ruby's aura. They dissipate after around ten minutes."

"For once, you say something smart. "Blake snarked; getting a 'hey!' from the brawler

 **"She's fast," commented Jaune. Even with the speed techniques taught by the dragons, he didn't have the same speed or maneuverability as her with just his feet, though Jaune guessed it had to deal with her Semblance. Ruby suddenly stopped and shouted back, "Are you coming?"**

 **Jaune shrugged, figuring he had nothing better to do for now and ran towards Ruby.**

 **Taiyang and Yang were preparing a giant chocolate chip cookie birthday cake for Ruby, with strawberry frosting on it. Her birthday had been on a school day, so they didn't have time to celebrate. However, now that the weekend was here, they were planning on surprising her. It was unfortunate that Qrow was unable to come due to his work. He had been on the road tracking down the enemies who had been responsible for a few things, like a certain maiden. Just as they finished, Ruby burst through the door. She squealed as soon as she saw the cake, turning into her chibi mode jumped towards it. She was stopped in the air by Taiyang grabbing her cloak. Still, Ruby cutely struggled with flailing limbs, trying to grab the cookie.**

Their Ruby went chibi as well and said. "I want that cake so badly!" She squealed. Everyone, even the two gods were surprised that she can do that.

"Don't ask me how she does that." Yang deadpanned while Ruby drooled.

 **"Not yet, Ruby. We eat dinner before dessert," lectured Taiyang sternly.**

 **Ruby pouted but obeyed when Taiyang places her on a chair.**

 **"Oh, yea! I invited someone over!" said Ruby, "Come on in Jaune!"**

 **Jaune entered the wooden cabin and looked around. He saw Taiyang first and greeted him politely.**

 **"Well, well, what's this? Did my baby sister find herself a boyfriend? Mmm he looks good," said another voice.**

"Yang!" Ruby shouted in embarrassment while her sister had a Cheshire grin.

 **Jaune looked at the source and was shocked to see almost a clone of Raven Branwen. He jumped back, hand on his sword, ready to fight. Yang raised an eyebrow but instantly put her fists up. Taiyang, who was very protective of her daughters, immediately stepped in front of both of them to face Jaune.**

"Ok, I got to ask: What is it with you girls taking so much after your mother?" Trevor asked, exasperated. Team RWBY looked amongst each other, confused at how much they look like their moms.

"Ruby, I swear you look like a clone of your mother," Qrow added, annoyed as well. Ruby simply blinked in surprise. Ozpin simply hoped this didn't mean history was going to repeat itself.

 **"** ** _Jaune,"_** **Aryz spoke,** ** _"It's not her. She looks very similar to Raven Branwen, but use your senses. She has bright-gold hair and lilac eye color. Raven had black with a red tint like Ruby with red eyes. This girl might be her daughter."_**

 **Jaune frowned, looking at Yang closely. He sighed as he relaxed, pulling his hand away from his sword.**

 **"Apologies. Her looks shocked me for a bit. She looked like the woman I met before in my travels. Some woman named Raven Branwen."**

 **"You met my birth-mom?"**

 **"You met my ex-wife?"**

 **Jaune looked at Yang and Taiyang, his eyebrows raised in confusion. Based on their reaction, Raven had left this family a long time ago, possibly a few months after Yang was born.**

"This isn't gonna be pretty," Qrow mumbled.

 **"Raven Branwen is part of your family?" asked Jaune.**

 **Taiyang looked uncomfortable discussing this topic in front of his children, so he grabbed Jaune's shoulder.**

 **"Let's talk about this somewhere private. Yang, make sure Ruby isn't trying to eat her cake first."**

 **Ruby stopped, looking guilty as she had been slowly walking towards the cake.**

Yang giggled while Ruby pouted.

 **Yang quickly pulled her back as Taiyang brought Jaune to his private studies. Yang frowned at this. She wanted to know more about her mother! Taiyang and Qrow refused to talk more about her, and she let that go. Now, the perfect opportunity to learn more about her mom was here, and she wasn't going to let it escape. Gagging Ruby so she wouldn't make a sound, she brought her with her to eavesdrop on them. She was technically following orders, making sure Ruby wouldn't eat the cake. Slowly, she put a glass cup on the door.**

Quite a few stared at Yang. "What? I've been looking for my mom for years; I don't want to miss an opportunity like that." She responded and pointed at the screen when she finished.

 **"So, you met my ex-wife?" asked Taiyang as he poured a cup of water for himself and Jaune.**

 **"Yea, and not in the most pleasant way," replied Jaune.**

 **"How so?" asked Tiayang.**

 **Jaune was about to reply when he stopped. Slowly he walked to the door silently before opening, forcing Yang to stumble in with his tied up sister.**

 **"Ummm hi?" said Yang, blushing that she had been caught so easily. Ruby came tumbling down next to her, all tied up.**

Ruby glared at her sister, upset that she tied her up a few times back home while Yang gave a nervous giggle.

 **"Yang!" scolded Taiyang.**

 **"What? I did what you told me to. Plus, I wanna hear about my birth mom. You always avoided this topic, and now you're going to talk about her with him?" Yang asked, pointing a finger at Jaune.**

 **"You're not ready to know everything about her yet," replied Taiyang.**

 **"When will I be!?" shouted Yang, "When will you finally tell me about her! I've already graduated from Signal, and will be going to Beacon soon enough! I want to know why she left us!" At this, her eyes turned red, and her hair started to light up like flames.**

"Dad never says we're ready." Ruby grouched, her sister agreeing; tired that their dad is always babying the both of them. Jaune sympathizes as being the youngest and only son his family always coddled him.

 **Taiyang remained silent for a bit. Finally, he made a decision.**

 **"We'll talk more after dinner. After Ruby is asleep."**

"Finally!" Yang shouted in frustration. "It is so hard to gain ground in an argument against dad."

"We know how that feels," Winter stated. Weiss agreed as she touched her scar.

 **"But I wanna hear this too!" shouted Ruby. Or would've been what she shouted. Unfortunately, she was still gagged, so all they heard was a bunch of muffled noises.**

 **Soon, dinner was underway, and they ate the cookie dessert. Ruby had most of it, and fell asleep as soon as she was done, forgetting about the conversation Yang, Taiyang, and Jaune were about to have in the kitchen.**

 **"So, about Raven. How did you meet her, and why wasn't it good?" Taiyang asked once more as once again poured water into cups for all of them.**

 **"Yea, she tried to force me into her clan of bandits," replied Jaune. Taiyang almost dropped the glass at that point.**

"Pretty sure Tai would've done a spit-take," Qrow commented.

 **"Bandits?" asked Yang in shock, "Mom's a bandit? And she's the leader of them?"**

 **"Yea," answered Taiyang, "She and Qrow grew up in a bandit clan when they were young. When they joined the Academy, they were part of team STRQ. I fell in love with her wild ways, and I thought she loved me in turn. When we graduated, she was already pregnant with you. However, when you were born, she tried to convince me to join her clan. After I refused, she left us. Qrow was furious, as the reason why he became a Huntsman was to not follow the path of the bandits. Raven felt she would be betraying her real 'family' and went back to lead them. She never looked back at me or you, Yang. I didn't want to tell you this, as I was heartbroken when I learned that she merely wanted my strength. I look to Summer more as my wife than your mom."**

Yang tried to keep the tears but it was a losing battle. Trevor gave her a box of tissues while Qrow, Ruby, and Blake did their best to comfort the blonde.

 **Yang sniffed her nose, "I look to Summer as my mom, too. I just wanted to know why my birth-mom left us."**

 **"That's why I didn't want to tell you. I thought you would be ashamed that Raven was the leader of a well-known bandit clan," explained Taiyang as he leaned back onto the counter-top.**

Yang hiccupped she sobbed and said through the tear. "I'm sorry Ruby. I'm sorry" The girl in question simply hugged her sister. _Post Traumatic Stress Disorder._ Ironwood realized, he just wished it didn't happen to one so young. Ozpin wished that some lessons didn't to be learned the hard way.

 **"I almost led Ruby to her death for some sort of false hope," whispered Yang, reeling from the news, "Even if the location I went to had Raven, she wouldn't have cared for us at all." She felt extremely guilty about the time she took Ruby just to find her birth-mom. They had almost been killed by Beowolves if it wasn't for Qrow.**

The adults, minus Qrow and Ozpin, wanted to scold Yang for such a foolish idea but they did consider that she was a child at the time looking at her now; it's not the wisest choice to do.

 **"Hey, it's okay. Remember, we all forgave you," said Taiyang as he hugged her.**

 **Jaune remained silent as he continued to sip on his water.**

 **"So, how'd you escape?" asked Taiyang, remembering about Jaune.**

 **"She tried to corner me in Vacuo with some of my friends. Luckily, Qrow intervened and told her to leave, as other people were coming," replied Jaune, "She likes me because apparently I 'laid' my hands on her where few men have. A weird way to say I'm one of the few who punched her."**

 **Taiyang, who had been drinking some water, did a spit take on that.**

"Well, you said he would've, Qrow," Trevor said. Quite a few were chuckling at the scene.

 **"You managed to punch her? She was known as one of the strongest Huntresses to graduate Beacon. The untouchable Huntress. The only people who could actually fight her and land a hit, I can count on my two hands and have leftovers."**

"How many people is that?" Blake asked the old crow.

"6, I think." He responded. Jaune considered himself lucky, no pun intended, that Ryu-Long got away alive.

 **"She really was that strong?" asked Yang.**

 **"I caught her by surprise," replied Jaune, "After that, she started kicking my butt until Qrow came."**

 **"Mmm, I haven't seen Qrow for a while now," said Taiyang, rubbing his chin, "He's busy with his missions usually now. He only takes some time to teach Ruby how to use her weapon every now and then."**

 **"Wait that means you've also met uncle Qrow?" asked Yang. Jaune nodded.**

 **"Well, big boy, you're definitely on my approved list," said Yang seductively as she approached her, slightly bending down to let him catch a glimpse of her... sizable assets. Jaune quickly looked the other way.**

Jaune blushed and looked away as well. Yang felt proud and . . . giddy? _But why? Do I have a crush on him?_ Yang continued to wonder why and tried to find a reason not to love him but the only one she had was him puking on her shoes.

 **"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Or in this case, Yang got your tongue?" laughed Yang.**

 **"Yang, that's enough. Stop embarrassing him," said Taiyang. Yang pouted and retreated.**

 **"I think it's time we all went to bed. Jaune, I have a guest room you can use for the night," announced Taiyang. Jaune agreed, and soon, the wooden cabin was full of sleeping people.**

"Finished" Winter spoke as she closed the book. A question suddenly came to her "How many more chapters till we take a break?"

"Just one more," Trevor responded while holding up one finger. Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, and Qrow gave sigh as they would like a break from this. Seeing a few people looking stiff, Trevor suggested. "How about we all take a minute to stretch." The two team and Hunters got up and started either stretch their legs, arms, back or a combination of the three. Jaune decided to rummage through his bag to see what else is in there, mostly out of curiosity.


	9. Chapter 8

**Well, the results are in! Most of the people that voted wanted me to make the story after I'm finished with reading Ryu-Long. I should also work on the other stories I started.**

 **(Takes a look at other stories he made gathering dust)**

 **I really should get on that but after I finish up Ryu-Long and although exams are over, school is not. Ooh, and be ready for a hiatus coming up on February 25 to March 6th I think. I'll be off and away from my computer during that time I won't be able to work on chapters.**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

 **[Hr]**

After a few minutes of stretching, everyone sat back down to continue reading. Qrow took the book while everyone was occupied. "Let's get this over with." He said as he opened the book to the next chapter.

 **Chapter 8: Off to Beacon!**

 **Jaune stayed with Ruby and Yang for a week, getting to know them better. Yang kept having fun flirting with him while throwing puns, while Ruby was embarrassed but enjoyed talking with Jaune. Both girls would listen to some of the adventures he had. Yang was a bit envious as she wanted to go explore the world too. When Jaune told them he was planning to apply to be a Huntsman, Ruby squealed, saying she wanted to go to Beacon so badly right now. They all laughed and told her that it would be her time soon.**

"Sooner than I thought." Ruby sheepishly admitted. Yang then glomped her little sister and going on about how proud she was while the little reaper struggled to breathe.

 **One day, while they were all watching the television with the corgi named Zwei on Ruby's lap, they saw the news about the White Fang invading the train. Jaune almost spat out his drink when they interviewed the victims, saying that an angel saved them. Aryz felt conflicted as she was a dragon, and she demands to be recognized as one, but also grateful that they were thanking Jaune. They were later distracted by fooling around with the corgi.**

Jaune sighed because people believed Ryu-Long to be an actual angel. _At least they're safe._

"I miss Zwei," Ruby muttered.

"Same here, sis." Yang agreed. Blake leaned away from the TV; she didn't hate dogs, more like she was nervous around them.

 **Both Ruby and Yang found themselves growing attracted to Jaune. They had seen him workout, and Yang really liked what she saw. Not to mention that when she tried to embarrass Jaune, he could easily deflect it back at her. Ruby thought it was icky, but found herself staring at Jaune more than she wanted to. Yang tried to pass it off as just a fleeting feeling, but she couldn't. She hoped that once Jaune was gone, it would go away. She had noticed her sister was no longer seeing boys as someone icky. She didn't want to fight her own sister for a guy.**

The two sisters seem to be competing of who can blush brighter, and it is a literal dead heat between the two. Ruby pulled her hood up in embarrassment. Yang rubbed her forehead because of her friends getting blackmail on her.

 **Ruby had noticed that Yang was starting to have a crush on Jaune, too, and thought about it. She certainly didn't want to make her sister sad, but she also didn't want to let Jaune go. Soon, an amazing idea started to form in her little mind. She would think more about it in time.**

Ruby got the same idea and started to see how she could implement it here.

"Ok, sis. What are you planning?" Yang asked.

"Not telling." The silver-eyed girl replied.

"Well, you're going to tell me." Yang retorted.

"Nope." Ruby simply said. Yang sighed as she knew when her sister said that word, she always wins.

 **Shortly, Jaune decided it was time to head to Beacon to visit the headmaster. He couldn't apply the normal way, through online or by combat school. Saying his goodbyes, Jaune was on an airship to Beacon. He couldn't risk flying or swimming, or it would arouse suspicion about him.**

 **Soon enough, he was looking at a pathway that leads to Beacon Academy. He had finally decided to see if he liked Beacon first. If his interview didn't go well, he would just fly straight to Haven Academy. As he was walking on the campus, many students were watching him with interest. They hadn't seen him before and based on his clothes, he wasn't a student.**

 **"Hey, who do you think that is?"**

 **"Is he lost?"**

 **"He looks pretty cute, don't you think?"**

Some of the girls glared at the one who said that before they realized what they were doing. Jaune though _It's like they have a crush on me. Do they? No way, what do they see in me?_

 **Eventually, he found himself looking up the tallest tower at Beacon, Beacon tower. He had no idea how to get in.**

 **"Maybe I should've asked Taiyang for directions before I came here," groused Jaune. He entered the building at the base floor to see nobody except for an elevator. He tried to use it but found it locked, as it needed an identification code to enter. Blowing a puff of air in annoyance, he walked back out and into a team.**

 **Team CFVY containing Coco Adel, Fox Alistair, Velvet Scarlatina, and Yatsuhashi Daichi, had just finished a brutal training session with Glynda Goodwitch. The second semester had just ended, but team CFVY decided to stay for at Beacon for a bit more training, as did many of the students. Team CFVY would return back home later and then come back to Beacon as second years. However, they didn't pay attention, and Yatsuhashi accidentally bumped into Jaune.**

 **"My apologies," apologized Yatsuhashi, "I did not look where I was walking."**

 **"No worries," responded Jaune, "You guys are students here, right?"**

 **"What's it to you?" inquired Coco as she looked down and up at Jaune. She did not seem to approve of Jaune's clothes, although it was getting small for Jaune. He needed to buy some later.**

"I'll never understand why clothes are such a big thing," Trevor spoke. "I get it's to distinguish what you do but other than that; I don't get it." Jaune and Ren silently agreed with him. Ozpin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose; he remembered the time Coco somehow got access to the school's account and went on a shopping spree. They managed to return all the clothes she bought, even when she tried to hide them.

 **"Do you know who or where the headmaster is of Beacon? I'm trying to apply here," replied Jaune.**

 **"You didn't go to combat school?" asked Coco with an eyebrow raised.**

 **"No. I'm a traveler; been one since I was ten. I want to apply to become a Huntsman," answered Jaune.**

 **Velvet gasped, "You mean, you've been outside the walls of Vale?"**

 **"Yeah. How else would I get anywhere?" replied Jaune.**

"You say that like its obvious," Blake said with a raised eyebrow. Jaune shrugged.

 **"Isn't that dangerous?" squeaked Velvet, "You seem so young."**

 **"Meh, it was okay," replied Jaune. "So, about that headmaster?"**

 **"Professor Ozpin is the headmaster of Beacon. But, I don't know where he is. Professor Goodwitch might, though. She's at the Combat Arena cleaning up. She's the teacher wearing a purple cape," said Coco as she pointed him where to go. Jaune thanked them before running towards the arena.**

 **"Hmm. Another one hoping to join," pondered Coco, "Hopefully he won't be crushed it's not easy to get in."**

 **"I would not count him out," said Yatsuhashi slowly, "When I bumped into him, I could feel he has a strong spirit and a strong body. He does not wield the sword and shield just for show. His armor, however light it may be, is designed for his fast and strong attacks." Fox seemed to nod in agreement.**

Weiss wrote all that down, wondering how it all connects together besides the dragons. Winter was impressed that the man identified all that from just bumping into Ryu-Long.

"Knowing your strengths and weaknesses as good as knowing your opponents," Glynda said with that teacher tone of voice.

 **"Whatever you say," said Coco, "Let's head towards the city. I got a wardrobe that needs updating."**

 **The rest of the team sighed in defeat as they accompanied Coco to the airships.**

 **Glynda was busy cleaning up the arena again. She really needed to hire somebody else to do it, but she was the best at fixing whatever the students destroyed. It was one of the reasons why she was the Combat Instructor. Her Semblance, Telekinesis, was the perfect one for the job. As she just finished fixing the arena, she heard the door behind her open.**

"I'd give you a raise if we could afford it, Glynda," Ozpin said to the blonde woman. Glynda sighed as she like much of her time spent on the job is cleaning up than actually teaching.

 **"The Arena is closed for the day. If you want to use the Arena, try tomorrow," said Glynda without looking.**

 **"Umm, actually I was looking for a Professor Goodwitch?" replied the voice.**

 **Glynda turned around to see a young boy looking quite nervous. She had never seen this teenager before.**

 **"Can I help you?" she asked.**

 **"I'm looking for Headmaster Ozpin. I was hoping to apply to Beacon, and didn't know how to since I don't have a Scroll nor did I attend a combat school," replied the teenager.**

 **Glynda sighed. They had dealt with eager people trying to become Huntsmen and Huntresses before. Many of them they had to reject as they knew the applicants weren't ready at all.**

Jaune flinched but thankfully only Pyrrha noticed. She laid her head on his shoulder in comfort

 **"I'm sorry. But without going to combat school, you'll have to take a specialized test on your skills to see if you meet the requirements to enter the school. And the deadline for that was a week ago," said Glynda, remembering the last person they had tested. A young girl with black hair using a gun-sword with a ribbon. She was skillful enough that the professors agreed to let her in.**

"Barely made it in time," Blake muttered.

 **"Dammit," cursed the youth, "Is there any way to try? I didn't know about that."**

 **"A pity," said Glynda, "Maybe you weren't meant to be one. You should have known if you lived in a city. We do post reminders."**

"Harsh," Qrow stated. Glynda did admit that did sound mean.

 **"I'm a traveler," deadpanned the teenager, "I don't exactly get up-to-date times. My only Scroll blew up on me thanks to some damn jerks and their EMP device years ago."**

 **Glynda raised her eyebrow at this. It would make sense that the boy didn't know if he didn't have a Scroll and had been traveling. However, she wasn't inclined to believe him. It was dangerous to go traveling alone these days.**

 **"The only way you could get in now is if the Headmaster allowed you in. And you would have to somehow impress him Mr. . ." said Glynda, pausing there.**

 **"Jaune Ryu-Long," answered Jaune, "I have two recommendation letters. Would those work?"**

"Considering who they're from, definitely," Winter said, still amazed Qrow of all people gave Ryu-Long a recommendation letter.

 **"Excuse me?" asked Glynda in surprise. Jaune responded by pulling out two letters and handing them to Glynda. She eyeballed it for a bit, not opening it. She looked at the first one and was surprised to see Leonidas Nikos' handwriting on the front of the envelope. The man rarely gave his to anyone. The second one surprised her even more. Qrow Branwen, the drunk, the man who though all students were crappy, actually recommended Jaune too. This would need careful observation.**

 **"Come with me, then," said Glynda as she briskly walked out. Jaune hurried to follow her back to Beacon tower, where they rode the elevator to the top floor. The elevator doors opened up for Jaune to see a middle-aged man with tousled silver hair with shaded glasses looking at some paperwork.**

"Middle-aged?" Ozpin questioned.

"The hair kind of gives it away." Jaune sheepishly answered. Ozpin hummed in understanding.

 **"This is Headmaster Ozpin," introduced Glynda to Jaune, "He will be the one to decide."**

 **Ozpin looked up to see Glynda walking in with a young boy, who quickly introduced himself as Jaune Ryu-Long.**

 **"Mr. Ryu-Long claims to have two recommendation letters from two of the unlikeliest people who would give one," explained Glynda, "Either he's really impressed them, or they're fake."**

 **Ozpin raised his eyebrow, taking a sip of his coffee before accepting the letters. He opened the first one from Leonidas and read through it. It was the standard recommendation letter with Leonidas' signature at the bottom. It certainly looked real. He took the other one from Qrow. In the envelope were just 13 words with his signature.**

 **"** _ **This kid is good. He managed to punch my sister in a fight."**_

 **Ozpin sighed. He knew this was definitely Qrow's style.**

"You know me so well, Ozzy." Qrow joked as he smirked. Glynda, Winter, and Ironwood rolled their eyes.

 **"Well, I must say this certainly looks impressive," said Ozpin, "However, I will need to confirm that Leonidas' recommendation letter is real."**

 **"You're not going to verify Qrow's?" asked Glynda. Ozpin's reply was merely handing the letter to her to look. She sighed as she passed it back, saying that it certainly was him.**

 **Soon, a line was being connected to Sanctum Academy, where it was directed to Leonidas' personal phone. Soon, the desk displayed a screen for Ozpin to look at, doing a video call.**

 **"Hello. This is Leonidas Nikos speaking."**

 **"Leonidas, how have you been," greeted Ozpin.**

 **"Ozpin? How have you been? And what's with this call?" asked Leonidas.**

 **"I have here a student who is wishing to apply to Beacon Academy. He claims to have a recommendation letter from you, which is very hard to believe, considering you almost never do so," replied Ozpin.**

"Your other must've really impressed my dad," Pyrrha said, giving her boyfriend a big smile

 **"Let me see his face," said Leonidas.**

 **Ozpin motioned Jaune to his side, allowing Leonidas to take a good look at him.**

 **"Jaune, is that you?" gasped Leonidas, "My goodness you've changed a bit. You're looking stronger than ever. Are you applying to Beacon?"**

 **"Yup," replied Jaune.**

 **"Hahaha! That's good news! Ozpin, you better take him in. He's one of the best fighters I've seen. He fought my daughter and tied with her. Pyrrha will be so happy you're going to Beacon. She spent months trying to predict which one you would go, and placed her bets on Beacon," said Leonidas, "I should go tell Pyrrha."**

 **"Not yet," smiled Jaune, "Let's make it a surprise."**

"I'm probably going to regret that," Jaune stated. Pyrrha gave him a playful glare.

 **"Mmm good point. Be prepared for a big hug, though," smiled Leonidas, "Well Ozpin, you have your answer. If you don't accept him, my daughter won't be happy, and neither will I."**

"It's never good when Leonidas isn't happy." Ironwood stated.

 **At that, Ozpin thanked him before waving goodbye.**

 **"Well, that proves the legitimacy of this recommendation letter," said Glynda.**

 **"Indeed, it does. Now Glynda, would you mind stepping out? I want to have a private chat with Jaune Ryu-Long here," said Ozpin. Glynda nodded before taking the elevator out, leaving the two of them alone.**

 **Both men stared at each other for a bit before Ozpin took another sip of his coffee and started the conversation.**

 **"So... Jaune Ryu-Long. Or should I say, formerly known as Jaune Arc?"**

 **Jaune jumped back in surprise before putting his hand on his blade.**

"This isn't going to be pleasant," Ren said monotonously.

 **"Calm down, Jaune. I have no wish to harm you," said Ozpin, not even moving an inch.**

 **Jaune warily sat back down.**

 **"** ** _Careful with this one; he seems to know more than meets the eye,"_** **advised Lung Wang.**

 **"How did-," began Jaune.**

 **"How did I know you're Jaune Arc, son of Vlad and Yu?" asked Ozpin, "Your sister once begged me that if she found you or if you somehow wandered in here, I would take you in at Beacon for safety. Seven years later, and you finally show yourself to me, trying to be a Huntsmen. You must have had a busy time. Changing your last name, too, I see."**

 **"Err, yeah," stuttered Jaune.**

"One way of putting it," Jaune mumbled.

 **"None the less, I have heard of some of your achievements, even if it was by a passing thought. Leonidas was once raving to me about a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes who could fight evenly with his daughter. Ironwood told me how his brightest student, Winter, told him about a special boy, and that if he applied to Atlas Academy to take him in without question. Even Qrow was laughing while trying to tell me how his sister tried to flirt with you when you managed to land a hit on her, which I must say is quite impressive," explained Ozpin calmly, "It pays to pay attention to what is happening around the world. "**

"You have too much free time on your hand, Oz," Qrow said to his boss.

 **Jaune was silent for awhile, trying to wrap his head around this. He had been trying to lay low, and yet someone had already figured out who he was and his travels. He could only hope Vlad Arc didn't know.**

 **"Your father doesn't know anything," stated Ozpin, as if reading Jaune's mind, "The last time I checked, he was busy with his new wife and two sons. One of them is your age; the other is two years older than you. You are a slippery man, though. Every time there was news of you, your sisters tried to rush there, only to find you were gone. It was quite a surprise for your sisters and mother to hear that you were all right and last seen with Saffron at Vacuo."**

"He doesn't know; good," Ren said. A few sighed in relief, glad that Vlad didn't know Ryu-Long is alive.

 **Well, that answered that question.**

 **"Mr. Ryu-Long. Do you truly wish to become a Huntsman?" asked Ozpin seriously. Jaune nodded in reply. "You want to come to my school?" Ozpin continued. Jaune nodded again.**

 **"Well, okay. Welcome to Beacon," said Ozpin.**

 **'What?' thought Jaune.**

 **"** ** _What?"_** **asked all seven dragons.**

"Just like that?" Jaune asked in surprise.

Just like that." Ozpin said, secretly enjoying the look on their faces.

 **"From what I know, you probably don't have a place to sleep. I will allow you to stay in the dorms until the new semester starts. You are allowed to use the facilities here, provided you don't make a mess. I will provide a Scroll for you soon so you may access whatever you need here," said Ozpin, "Although if you could explain to me how you managed to unlock your Aura? I was told by your sister that your... sperm donor sealed it."**

Yang cracked her knuckles while glaring at the screen. Ruby simply glared and wondered what's the most painful way to kill someone. Nora predictably wanted to break his legs. Blake actually hissed. In general; everyone hated Vlad.

 **Jaune felt like he had nothing to hide from that, and told him how Leonidas' daughter had been the one to unlock his Aura. Ozpin lifted his eyebrow in interest before smirking.**

 **"Will I need to set up marriage quarters for the two of you?"**

Jaune facepalmed as he blushed while covered her mouth with her hand as she blushed as well.

 **Jaune flushed in embarrassment as Ozpin stood up, putting his hand forward towards Jaune. "I'm just kidding. Welcome to Beacon, still."**

 **Jaune was still in shock before shaking Ozpin's hand.**

 **"We'll keep your entrance a secret for now," whispered Ozpin.**

"It's for the best," Ozpin stated then took a sip of his coffee. Winter thought of how much Vlad and her father are alike.

 **Later that night, Jaune was lying on his bed, wondering how the heck this worked out. He decided to meditate before dragging himself into his mindscape with his dragons.**

 **"** ** _That Ozpin character is interesting. He managed to find out who you were just by keeping his ears open,"_** **said Ryo-Wo.**

 **"** ** _A very open-minded person,"_** **commented Alaerth.**

"I'd like to keep an open mind so as to not be a bigot or racist," Ozpin stated with a smile. Ironwood sighed as he realized how close-minded he has been.

 **"** ** _Not only that, we now have access to some facilities to further your training,"_** **said Lung Wang.**

 **"** ** _Best be prepared,"_** **said Andusk,** ** _"I can feel something brewing in the distance. Apparently, Ozpin does too. I could tell he's worried about something."_**

 **"** ** _We'll face it head on!"_** **exclaimed Fafnir,** ** _"Jaune's gotten even better with our powers now."_**

A few looked at Yang with a look of amusement. Yang closed her eyes and shrugged with a smile.

 **"** ** _Since Jaune is now 17, I think it's time we started to talk about potential mates,"_** **said Aryz, causing Jaune to stand up blushing in his mind.**

 **"** ** _All right! Time to discuss who Jaune's gonna be plowing! We got several girls I know you're interested in, and they're interested in you, too,"_** **shouted Othim in laughter.**

"Does he have to be so crude about it?" Jaune asked while blushing up a storm. Team RWBY and NPR were blushing in varying degrees as well. Qrow chuckled while Winter and Glynda tried to keep the blushes down.

 **"Do we have to?" asked Jaune.**

 **"** ** _The sooner the better,"_** **insisted Aryz,** ** _"You must also tell them about the Mate Mark and how you'll need one for each of your dragons, so seven mates. They need to know what they are getting into. If you're worried about your performance, don't worry, you'll get better in time. Not to mention the amount of stamina you have from your natural Aura reserves and contracts, you'll probably tire them out, making it necessary to have multiple mates."_**

Jaune did a double face-palm and stayed in that position for a bit. Yang started to fan herself while Blake was writing in her notebook again. Weiss did her best get rid the dirty thought but they kept coming back and thinking of Jaune only made it worse. Ruby was squirming in her seat like crazy like she had to use the bathroom. Pyrrha really wanted private time.

 _And I thought I was crude._ Qrow thought. Glynda and Winter silently agreed to give Othim a good smackdown if they see him. Ironwood scrunched his eyes.

 **"** ** _Actually, he might only need six,"_** **commented Alaerth,** ** _"When Pyrrha unlocked his Aura, she took in some of his Aura into his body as a side effect. We know her Semblance is polarity, but none of us matches her powers well. It would be a shame to discard her as a potential mate, though. So Fafnir and I should be able to combine our powers to create a special mate mark for Pyrrha to increase her powers of polarity."_**

 **"** ** _Will her body be able to handle the stress?"_** **asked Fafnir.**

Jaune became worried but his partner calmed him down some.

 **"** ** _It should be. Like I said, she took in some of Jaune's Aura while unlocking his. There's a reason why some cultures view unlocking someone's' Aura of similar age as marriage. Pyrrha basically inserted some of Aura into Jaune's body to act as a catalyst for Jaune's Aura to awaken. However, this is a two-way street. The result was when she did so, she opened her body for Jaune to also channel Aura into her,"_** **explained Alaerth,** ** _"The fact that she likes you is also a bonus."_**

"That explains why my aura reserves went way up," Pyrrha said

 **"** ** _Hehe, so 6 mates then. Monday-Saturday once per girl. Sunday could be a rest day or an orgy day!"_** **shouted Othim. Everyone ignored him for now.**

"Let's just ignore him," Jaune said in a matter of fact tone.

 **"** ** _So Jaune will mark Pyrrha Nikos with my power and Alaerth,"_** **said Fafnir.**

 **"** ** _I think Dew Gayle is the best one to use my power. I noticed her Semblance was the ability to create whirlwinds. And yes, Jaune, she does have a crush on you. She would have kissed in the mouth if it wasn't for bad timing,"_** **said Aryz.**

 **"** ** _I got the pussycat Blake Belladonna!"_** **shouted Othim,** ** _"She wants Jaune, and her parents even approve! Gonna get Jaune some sweet -"_** **Jaune didn't let him finished and moved on.**

"Great," Blake said, annoyed. "I get the perverted one."

"Aren't you perverted?" Yang asked.

"Shut up." Her partner responded quickly.

 **"** ** _Ruby Rose would be the best one to mate with my power,"_** **said Andusk,** ** _"The potential to raise the silver-eyed warriors again is great."_**

Ruby squeaked in embarrassment and pulled up her hood while her face turned red as a tomato.

 **"** ** _So that leaves me and Lung Wang for Jaune to find suitable mates for our power,"_** **murmured Ryo-Wo,** ** _"I think my power might be best suitable for Weiss Schnee. She acts like a lady with proper manners. However, without knowing her fighting style, I cannot be sure that she is the suitable one."_**

Weiss blushed and she didn't know why but she also felt a sense of dread at not being picked.

 **"** ** _I'm thinking Yang Xiao Long would be the best for my powers,"_** **said Lung Wang,** ** _"I noticed she takes pride in herself as well as having similar last name to you. Something I can respect. That, and when she's angry, her hair lights up like flames. However, this will be put onto judgment."_**

"Lucky you because you get all of this," Yang said with a sultry tone of voice while she thrusts her chest out. Jaune blushed and looked away while Ruby smacked her sister on the head.

 **"So I have four potential girls already," sighed Jaune, "I'm going to need to set up a base. After all of that traveling, my expenses are already much shot. I'll have to find another jewelry store and sell them some jewels to get some more Lien; after that, set up a bank account so I don't have to lug Lien with me all the time, even if it is technically safer in my bag."**

"I lose the bag and bye-bye to all my cash," Jaune said as he wrapped his arms around it.

 **As the night went on, Jaune went on planning on how he would proceed with his life here.**

 **Ozpin sipped his cup as he pondered about Jaune. He was clearly quite strong just from observation alone. To be able to receive two recommendations from the strictest professors was an achievement in itself. However, he had a feeling Jaune was something deeper. Something far more ancient than all the legends he knew, such as** _ **The silver-eyed warriors,**_ _ **Story of the Seasons,**_ **and even** _ **the Tale of Two Brothers.**_

"That's an understatement, Oz," Qrow said

 **"This should prove interesting," he mused as he received a phone call from Glynda, telling him about a robbery and a certain silver-eyed fighter.**

"Done," Qrow said as he closed the book. "I really need to stretch."

"Come on everyone. "Trevor spoke up. "I'll show you all the rooms."

Everyone got up while a few stretched to work out the kinks. They then followed Trevor who gave a tour around the ship. Needless to say, they were impressed.


	10. Chapter 9

**Sorry, this took so long guys; one thing after another came and I kind of just had a crash; not a mental crash, more like I don't know what to do with my life crash. That and I kind of had to slog my way through this one I'm alright, no need to worry-**

 **(ROAAARRR)**

 **Great, it's back. You all enjoy the chapter; I'm going monster hunting. And I don't own anything I use in my story other then any OC's I come up with.**

 **(Trevor grabs a shotgun and a baseball bat and walks out of the room. A minute later, the sounds of a gun could be heard and someone shouting "DIE, BEAST, DIE! DIE YOU HORRIBLE CREATURE THAT IS MY EMOTIONS!)**

 **[Hr]**

The group eventually came back to the reading room with various expressions: team RWBY all watched an anime and they couldn't believe what they saw . . . well, Weiss anyway. Ruby still had stars in her eyes at how awesome it was though one part made her cry. Yang had a big grin as she loved every moment of it except for certain parts. Blake was moved at how determined every one of the protagonists were and this solidified her resolve to take down the old white fang and bring equality to all. Weiss was trying to comprehend how such massive machines move so quickly and how they could be powered by pure will alone.

Team JNPR saw a movie and they enjoyed it a lot even though it wasn't historically accurate. Pyrrha was happy to proclaim that she comes from a line of warriors that some were of the greatest in history. Jaune will admit he is terrified of the Spartans but is tempted to train under them if given the chance. Ren is interested in learning more about their culture though he does admit some of the things they do are harsh. Nora just wanted to see the movie again.

The adults have been discussing plans and how this could help them beat the queen of Grimm though Ironwood was still being cold with his decisions at times, this leads to Ozpin, Glynda, Qrow, even Winter verbally assault him for those ideas and pointing out the flaws. The general was not in a good mood.

The group finds Trevor passed out on the couch with a box nearby. Ironwood, seeing a chance to get back at him, walks forward and shoves him off the couch before anyone could stop him. Trevor grunted as he was abruptly woken up from his nap.

"Was that really necessary?" Trevor grumped.

Winter sighed and stepped forward. "Forgive him, he tends to do something like that when he's in a bad mood and a soldier is sleeping in."

Trevor mumbled a 'fine' and dusted himself off. He turned to the group and started. "Before we begin, I got a package earlier while you all were relaxing. It's from a place called Phoenix warehouse productions." Everyone turned their interest toward Trevor.

"Now I know what you're thinking. 'I'm a god, I can do anything' right?" Trevor asked. Many either nodded or said yes. "Well you're right but I did say I'm still figuring out my powers and because of that I have to be careful." Trevor suddenly realized something. "Oh! Yeah and I've actually been a god for a good couple years now."

"Seriously?!" Yang asked, eyebrows raised to her hairline.

"Have you been practicing all that time?" Weiss asked, trying her best to comprehend how someone with only two years of training to be able to move between dimensions.

He nodded and spoke. "Most of the new gods tend to spend a lot of their time in denial, panicking, or taking advantage of their power but I didn't want to accidentally hurt anyone so I spent most of the time I had training and Azndrgn helped me a lot." Trevor then lets out a breath and continued. "But anyway, there's one god that's established a multiverse-wide company to help the younger gods but only if they accept. Their main export is dealing with delicate stuff like tools or manuals, basically, anything to help a god get off the ground and not destroy everything."

Many were impressed and amazed that such a company exists. Ozpin, being curious and wanting to know more, asked. "Will they deal with mortals such as myself?"

The god shook his head. "Not really mainly because they don't want to let a mortal have too much power; they have a saying in the company: Absolute power corrupts absolutely." Ozpin nodded as understands that saying all too well.

"Anyway, I've talked to you all long enough so let's go ahead and open the box." Trevor finished as he stepped toward the large box. He opened it and pulled what looks like two daggers shaped like dragon fangs. "These are for Ruby." He continued as he handed over to the eager huntress. "Careful with those because they're able to poison Grimm and if you channel your aura into them; you're able to launch blades of compressed air that can cut through solid stone." Ruby was instantly drooling as she held them close to her chest. Yang snapped her fingers a few times near Ruby's ear to snap her out of it.

Ruby gave a sheepish smile while her sister smirked. Yang then asked. "So sister of mine, what are you going to name em?"

Ruby thought for a moment then came up with a name. "I'm going to call them Rose's Thorns." The silver-eyed girl stated with a smile."

Trevor pulled out the next item while the two sisters were talking. The item is a big double-bladed ax. The blades were curved with one pointing up while the other pointed down. The Handle had a single button on it. He presented it to Yang, who eagerly accepted, and stated. "This ax is able to split into two single-bladed axes and if you channel your aura into them; you can light them on fire." Hearing the flame part, Yang pumped some aura into them and the blades lit up like they were covered in oil. The blond grinned like a maniac; she really wanted test her new weapon out. Ruby was gawking at the weapon and wondered how exactly it worked.

Trevor pulled out the next item or items as it was a stack of book. He places the stack of books in front of Blake. Blake saw the covered. "Icha Icha?" She asked.

"Thought you might like it." The god stated. Blake opened the top book to a random page. She quickly shut the book with a blush on her face. He Faunus mumbled a 'thank you' and carried the books over to her spot on the couch.

The next item stunned Weiss and a few others. The item is the most beautiful rapier she's ever seen. The guard had several different jewels on it and the blade seemed to glow in the light. She snapped out of it when Trevor began to speak. "This is the perfect rapier, made for a six finger-man." The heiress carefully wrapped her right hand around the handle, as if it were made of fragile glass. "Better be careful when you're fighting with that because that blade can slice through aura like a red hot knife through warm butter." Weiss had a small smile as she marveled at the blade. She'll have to ask Ruby to add a Dust revolver to it.

"For Jaune." Trevor grunted as he pulled out a particularly big brown leather book. Jaune took the book though he had to adjust his grip. Trevor released a breath and said. "that's a book on runes; Everything from a simple light rune to things like retrieval and teleporting runes, though the teleporting may take a lot of your aura so I don't recommend doing stuff like that until you've had practice." Jaune nodded in understanding then turned his attention to the book cover. The cover had a golden ring that seems to glow with several other runes inside like a purple zigzag, two green crescents connected together, and symbols just like it.

"This next one I got from your family, Jaune," Trevor stated. The blond looked back in surprise. Trevor pulled out what looks like a photo album and the knight looked on horrified because he knew exactly what that was. Pyrrha looked at her boyfriend in worry because of the looked but her attention was abruptly taken by the book Trevor held out to her. "This has photos of Jaune's childhood." He then turned to Jaune with a nervous smile. "Sorry Jaune but I had to or else I would lose all my powers." The student in question then dropped his head and let out a long-suffering groan. Pyrrha would've comforted him but she was too busy gushing at the photos. It got worse for the embarrassed blonde as team RWBY joined in.

A long squeak sounded from the box and something green and furry poke its head out. Trevor's shoulders slumped a little and said to no one. "You woke him up." Trevor picked up the furry thing which turns out to be a sloth. Nora was squealing in delight she was handed her new green companion. "That's a baby battle sloth. The reason it's called that is that it knows how to use all kinds of weapons so be careful if it's near guns and such." Nora acted like she didn't hear him just hugged the thing.

Ren sighed because he'd most likely be making sure it was fed and had a place for it to go to the bathroom though he also hoped this would teach his partner some responsibility. The ninja opened his eye to see the good holding a green book and a brown bag that smelled like herbs. "The bag is enchanted to be always filled with herbs so as long as you onto it, you'll never be without some ready to make tea with. The book is all about healthy eating and what food to avoid; it even includes a diet for hunters based on their style of fighting." Ren gave him a thank you, placed the bag of herbs on his belt and opened the book which was titled 'eating right to live long and bright'.

"Winter, yours has been sent to your scroll." Winter flinched in surprised then opened up her scroll. She saw she had a new message. After opening it and playing she saw something that caught her completely by surprise: A drunk Qrow without a shirt singing both Sweet Transvestite and I feel Pretty. It was too much at once for the specialist as she began to laugh so hard she had trouble keeping her balance. Qrow groaned because he knew she's never going to let him live that down now. Even Ironwood's mood improved from listening to the video. "Found that in a dimension where Summer is still alive, she says hello by the way." Ruby teared up a little but still smiled when she heard what Trevor said.

Qrow rubbed his face in frustration because of what Winter now holds on her scroll. "Hang in there because you're next." The god spoke to the usually drunk teacher as Trevor pulls out a bottle. The brown bottle had a label titled 'Little Man's Hammer' with a picture of a short man with a bushy beard holding a hammer as big as him. "This is Dwarven vodka. Don't drink too much at once because this stuff is so strong it can make Grimm drunk." Trevor then laughed some. "I got you one bottle but I bought two just to see what would happen if this stuff got on a Grimm." He laughed some more. "I really wish I was recording at the time because I could barely breathe when I saw it." Qrow nodded in thanks and was tempted knock back a shot right now but knew he had to stay sober for this.

Trevor then pulled out what looks like a purple whip rolled up. "For you, Glynda." He stated as he held the whip out her. The headmistress got a better look at it now it's in her hands she notices the whips has a silver tip. "The whip, like Ruby's weapon, can poison Grimm and if you channel aura into it; the whip will launch or destroy your target when you crack it. But it takes a lot of training to use and it amplifies your semblance." He then leaned in close and whispered. "Be careful because people might and will think you're a dominatrix." That caught Glynda by surprise as her face lit up like a light bulb. Blake heard the god and she blushed even brighter than when she started reading.

Trevor went back to the box while Glynda was busy trying to calm herself down. The next thing he pulled out was actually a stack of notes, some of them looking torn and/or burn at the edges. He then held them out to the general and stated in a firm tone "These are notes on an AI called Skynet and it warriors; the terminators."

Yang nervously asked. "Why do I have a bad feeling about them?"

Trevor turned to her and said. "You should because their shells are made of titanium and their weapons are so powerful, their rifles can turn auraless humans into a pile of roasted flesh." Many like Jaune and Ruby gulped in fear. Ozpin feared they would all of humanity and Faunus from existence. Ironwood began to make plans for all of the robots in Atlas' army to a have a human handler.

The last thing he pulled was just a simple mug. "Despite how it looks, the cup is enchanted the same way as Ren's bag so that it never runs out of Cinnamon coffee." Ozpin gratefully grasped his new favorite cup. Glynda let out a sigh of relief as this will lessen the strain on Beacon's budget. Trevor continued. "From what the CEO told me his grandpa came up with the recipe. The coffee really helps waking up but that's a given, help relieve stress if his gramps is to be believed, blood pressure as well."

Ozpin hummed in content as he drank from his new mug. "Give my thanks to the CEO next time you meet him. This is very good."

Trevor nodded. "Sure thing, now let's get started. The sooner we finished the sooner you all can go home and I can move on to a new group." Some stared at him with a 'are you serious' look as they took their usual seat. Blake set down her new book and opened Jaune Ryu-Long to chapter 9.

 **Chapter 9: First steps & Emerald forest**

 **Jaune woke up excited one day. It was the day that Beacon Academy would finally start! He knew Pyrrha and Yang were coming and was excited to surprise them! Especially Pyrrha, since she didn't know he was here at Beacon. He looked out the window and saw the airships flying in. He lied back on his bed, wondering what would have had happened if Vlad didn't banish him. Most likely be kept up in his room, trying to never let anyone know he existed. Which in turn, he probably would have run away and faked his transcripts to get into Beacon. He chuckled at this before stretching his muscles and getting ready for the day.**

Jaune chuckled nervously when the two teams gave him a knowing look. Ozpin smirked and thought: _The boy seemed destined to be a farmer or some other domestic worker but instead he broke the chains of destiny and forged his own path, no matter what life threw his way._

 **Glynda had been a godsend for him. When she finally learned some of Jaune's back-story, she cried and took Jaune and helped him set up a bank account as well as take him to a well-known jewelry store. There, he sold two more rough jewels with a weight of 20 carats each. The jewelers and Glynda were surprised at this. The buyer almost had a heart attack at the size of the diamond and tried to rip Jaune off. That was easily taken care of by Glynda, who threatened to blast him to Mistral** **after** **she had tossed him into the ceiling a few times.**

"Man, you're scary when you want to be," Yang said to Glynda. The teacher was secretly proud of this fact as she let a small smile show.

 **In total, Jaune managed to get 96,000 Lien, which he immediately put into the bank. This would allow him to be set for the next few years. He didn't want anyone to know he actually had cut diamonds from the best jewel makers of the past. That would attract too much attention.**

"Especially from father," Weiss spoke. Winter nodded, there was no way father wouldn't hear of this. Ozpin thought _Oobleck would be over the moon if he found out._

 **He still carried with him a few Lien cards just in case, along with his debit card. He didn't bother with the wallet because he would always carry his bag with him everywhere. Purchasing a few more school supplies and a wardrobe full of clothes his size, Jaune was ready to attend Beacon. He had a black hoodie and blue jeans, as it was his favorite style. He bought running shoes and combat boots to switch off, depending on what he would be doing for the day. He donated any usable old clothes away, figuring somebody else could use it.**

"Most people would throw their old clothes away," Pyrrha said to her partner.

Jaune shrugged. "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

 **Pyrrha Nikos sighed as she was flying on the airship to Beacon. She had won the Mistral annual tournament four times now, and her fame had spread across the seas apparently. People on the ship were constantly admiring her as the "Goddess of Victory" now, instead of "Invincible Girl". Her newest nickname was given to her after her third win in the tournament, where she completely dominated her opponents. It felt worse now, as her fame was even higher than she thought possible.**

Pyrrha gave a depressed sigh while Jaune did her best to comfort her.

 **She had to admit her new versions** _ **Milo**_ **and** _ **Akouo**_ **certainly helped accelerate her reputation. Hephaestus went overboard and managed to mix Adamantine into Milo, making the weapon even sturdier and stronger. Underneath her light armor, she had a modified Mithril vest. Hephaestus originally wanted to make it a shirt, but Pyrrha wanted to keep her image. That and the sponsors did too. So he relented and had his friend modify it so it was hidden under her clothes while still offering her protection. It was dust enchanted so if she channeled some of her Aura, the Mithril shirt would extend upwards to her necklace, covering her flesh. This was the only compromise Hephaestus insisted, saying that having some armor just in case was better than none.**

"Better have it and not need it then need it and not have it," Trevor spoke. Ozpin and Ironwood decided to keep that in mind.

 **Not only did she have better weapons, she felt like her aura reserves had undergone a huge change too. It was bigger, and she was able to use her Semblance much easier than the past. She theorized that when she unlocked Jaune's aura, hers also underwent some change as she had been the closest to him as well as having touched his aura with hers.**

 **"I hope you're here, Jaune," she whispered and prayed.**

"Again; you rely on it way too much to save you in a fight." Trevor continued. Pyrrha decided to try and fight without the use of her semblance but that will be difficult because using it has become instinctual for her now.

 **Weiss Schnee was huffing with impatience as she rode on an airship to Beacon. She had it all planned out. Find the strongest fighter, preferably female, become friends with her, and become the perfect pair. They would be unstoppable and popular! Then, she would lead the Schnee name to glory after her father had dragged it through the mud. She then thought of Jaune. She slightly blushed at what she had done three years ago. That was just a crush, a feeling that was just temporary!**

"You sure about that, Weiss-cream?" Yang teased. The girl received a pillow to the face from the younger Schnee.

Time then paused as everyone stopped moving except for Trevor. He turned to the viewer and said. "Yang being hit with a pillow is becoming a running gag I didn't intend to make." He then turned back to the group when time started up again.

 **She heard Winter talking about how Jaune actually punched a famous Huntress in a battle that she herself was unable to even land a hit. Weiss was crestfallen when she heard the Winter had to forfeit her position in the Vytal tournament. Still, she tried her best to talk to Weiss after also forfeiting the position of the heiress to her. Perhaps Jaune would be at Beacon. If not, the Winter was determined to find him and have him enlist at Atlas. She had made General Ironwood promise to accept him if he did come in return for becoming a special operative.**

Ironwood sent the specialist a look. Winter cleared her throat, though the pink tint to her face betrayed her.

 **Blake was reading her book while waiting for the ship to land. She had taken the test and passed with flying colors. She sighed as she flipped to the next page of her book. As she read the adult artistic erotic fiction, she began to daydream. She imagined herself as the priestess who was waiting for her lover while Jaune was the knight swooping from the sky with his wings. He came near her, and they started to re-enact one of her favorite scenes. She stumbled out of her imagination when she heard a squeal.**

Blake blushed hard because of her thoughts being displayed and read. A few others blushed at the raunchy thoughts. "You've got a problem, Blake," Yang said with a red tint to her cheeks.

"Like your one to talk," Blake argued. "You smash anyone for even so much as pulling a few loose strands out." Ironwood raised an eyebrow in question but didn't bother when Qrow shook his head and had a look that said' You don't wanna know.'

For a few seconds, Yang did until finally saying. "Touché."

Jaune mumbled. "What is it with girls and their hair? It grows back."

 **"Oh, I can't believe my baby sister is going to Beacon with me! This is the best day ever!" said Yang, hugging her sister.**

 **"Please stop," gasped Ruby.**

 **Yang was giving her sister the 'how proud she was' speech to Ruby.**

Ruby groaned because of her sister's antics. Yang asked, "Did I really act like that?" Ruby just nodded. Yang grimaced; she acted and sounded like a more excitable person, not Nora level thankfully.

 **"Think Jaune will be there?" asked Ruby.**

 **Yang looked away guiltily. She hated to admit, but she really did like Jaune. All those times of him treating her like a lady, and not those jerks trying to get a peek down her assets, she developed a crush on him. Even with him gone, it was still there. Not to mention all those adventures he told her. He treated her flirting as a joke, and would sometimes flirt back for fun.**

Yang did her best not to blush but there was a pink tint to her cheeks.

 **"Probably," replied Yang.**

 **"I can't wait to see him!" said Ruby. She had also developed a crush on Jaune too and could see that Yang crushing on the same person. More than once, she thought about approaching the subject up, but could never have the guts to do so. On a few occasion, she even thought about sharing Jaune with Yang. That way she could keep her sister while also dating him. The idea of sharing Jaune was becoming more prominent, though.**

"Ruby Rose!" Yang suddenly shouted with a scorned mother tone. "Where did you get such an idea!?"

"Dad had two wives, didn't he?" Ruby retorted.

"That was different! Raven left us when I was a baby!" Yang clarified, her frustration building but she kept it under control.

"So? She didn't sign divorce papers; did she?" Ruby asked.

Yang, at the end of her rope, said. "Uncle Qrow, help me out here."

"Nope, I'm staying out of this." He replied. Yang groaned and rubbed her face out of frustration.

 **They had just landed, and Ruby was spinning in dizziness as Yang had ditched her to talk with some of her friends. She fell on some rich girl's suitcase, and it didn't help that she kept yelling at her while shaking Dust in front of her face. She sneezed and blew a crater in front of the courtyard, which made the rich girl in white even madder. Soon enough, she learned the rich girl's name was Weiss Schnee from a mysterious girl with a bow wearing black and white. Weiss actually blushed in embarrassment when the girl identified her company as also having controversial labor forces and questionable business partners.**

Yang started to laugh hard, making Ruby blush in embarrassment. In between laughs, Yang said, "I thought you were kidding about the explosion, Ruby."

"Weiss!" The heiress flinched at the tone of voice. "What have I told you about Dust vials?" Winter scolded.

"Make sure they're properly sealed." Weiss meekly answered.

"That's right." Winter immediately continued. "You're lucky father didn't hear of this incident."

 **"I don't have anything to do with those choices," said Weiss, trying to defend herself.**

 **The girl merely raised her eyebrow. Weiss felt like she didn't need to explain further and left. Before Ruby could thank the girl, she had also left, leaving her alone. She pouted while collapsing to her knees.**

 **"Welcome to Beacon," she said to herself, lying on her back as she closed her eyes for a second. She really did miss her friends back in Signal, as they didn't come with her. She may have had been excited to get to go to Beacon so early, but it had its cons. She wasn't able to go to Beacon with her group of friends and had to find new people over again. It was not easy for Ruby to do that.**

Ruby sighed as she missed her friends but also sent a glare towards her sister for up and abandoning her like that.

 **Then, a shadow seemed to cast over her face.**

 **"Rough start?" said a familiar voice.**

 **Ruby opened her eyes to see Jaune standing over her with his hand outstretched.**

 **"Jaune!" shouted Ruby, blushing in embarrassment that Jaune had apparently seen what had happened. She took the offered hand to pick her back up before dusting herself clean while making sure everything on her was clean. She was even checking her hair.**

 **"Come. Let's head to the auditorium. It's going to start soon," said Jaune with a smile.**

 **Ruby nodded and followed him like a lost puppy while talking.**

"I swear, Ruby, you are the human embodiment of a puppy," Trevor said, making Ruby blush. Yang laughed at the thought.

"I'm not a puppy!" She denied. Trevor simply held up a cookie. Ruby's eyes were wide as she rushed forward and said. "Cookie!"

"Stop!" Trevor shouted. Ruby did so just 2 feet away. "Sit" Trevor commanded while pointing at the ground. Ruby crouched down, her knees brushing up against her chin. "Roll over." Trevor continued. Ruby rolled onto her back, hands in the air. "Play dead." The teen commanded again. The silver-eyed girl's head lolled to the side, her tongue sticking out with her eyes closed as her hands flopped to either side of her. Trevor smiled and said, "Good girl," as he dropped the cookie right above her mouth. Ruby caught and munched away while humming in contentment.

Yang couldn't take it anymore and was laughing hard; Qrow, Nora, and a few others as well. Ruby's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she realized what she was doing. She then shot back to her seat in a cloud of rose petals, a pillow covering her face which was very, very red.

 **They walked into the auditorium, where Ruby was looking around at all the new attendees and their weapons. It was very crowded, showing around 100 people, maybe more, trying to attend Beacon.**

"I forgot how many other people we were competing against," Jaune said, surprised and proud that he managed to beat so many people without actual training.

"Certainly puts things in perspective." Ren agreed.

 **"Ruby! Over here! I saved you a spot!" shouted Yang, noticing her sister enter first.**

 **"I see my sister there. Want to come with me, Jaune?"**

 **Before Jaune could reply, he heard his name being called from behind him. Turning around, he saw Pyrrha running towards him at full tilt. Before he could do anything, he had the air knocked out of him when she pounced on him. Barely managing to keep standing, he regained his breath as he saw Pyrrha looking at him with a pout while hugging him.**

"That went better then I thought," Qrow commented.

 **"Why didn't you tell me you were at Beacon?" pouted Pyrrha, not wanting to admit she was worried if she was in the same academy as Jaune.**

 **"It was a surprise. Your father knew two months ago, but I had him keep it as a secret," answered Jaune. "By the way, we're making a scene here."**

 **Pyrrha looked around to see many attendees looking at them and jumped back.**

 **"I'm sorry!" she apologized quickly. Jaune shook his head.**

Jaune, Nora, and several others laughed at Pyrrha's reaction, much to his girlfriend's annoyance.

 **"Don't worry about it, Pyrrha. I'm glad to see you too," said Jaune. Pyrrha responded with the biggest smile that few had ever seen. It made her look more radiant than all those photo shots she had to do for sponsors.**

 **Ruby, along with Yang who had come to see what was happening, was about to ask how they knew each other when a coughing sound was heard on stage. Everyone quickly stopped staring at Jaune and Pyrrha to listen to what the Headmaster had to say.**

"Sounds like you didn't have any coffee that morning, Ozzie." Qrow jabbed.

Ozpin sighed and said. "I didn't and I wanted to dispel any grandiose views or dreams about hunters." The adults agreed with the headmaster on that.

 **Once Ozpin's message ended, they were all escorted to a large hall where they would all be sleeping for the night. Ruby was telling Yang about how she blew up in the courtyard. However, they were both paying attention to Jaune, who was sitting next to Pyrrha talking about his adventures and feeling jealous.**

 **'When did he meet Cereal girl?' grumbled Yang in her mind.**

 **'I was Jaune's first friend in Beacon! Or was he my first friend in Beacon? Doesn't matter! I should be there!' Ruby mentally screamed.**

"Wasn't your other plotting on how to share him with your sister?" Weiss asked with a raised eyebrow. Ruby sheepishly smiled.

 **Two other girls were also watching Jaune in a jealous state. They said hi to Jaune while walking to their sleeping quarters, but didn't get the chance to talk more as Pyrrha dragged him away. Jaune, of course, noticed Weiss' scar and asked what happened, but Weiss brushed it off.**

 **'Dammit. Jaune just got harder for me to catch. Well, my mother caught my father. I'll do the same!" thought Blake before an invasive thought kicked in, 'I wonder if she's willing to share. We could have thr- Bad thoughts Blake!'**

Blake blushed and covered her face with both hands. Yang patted the girl on the back.

 **'Urg, just my luck. My chance to have the strongest girl to come to Beacon was just taken by the most likely candidate to be the strongest guy. It doesn't matter! Partners haven't formed yet! I still have a chance! I'll get Jaune... I mean Pyrrha!' thought Weiss, slightly blushing at the fact she was thinking about Jaune.**

Weiss blushed in embarrassment as she closed her eyes.

Yang decided to make a quip. "Looks like the ice queen is turning into a snow angel."

"Shut it, Xiao Long!" Weiss retorted, her cheeks even brighter.

 **Pyrrha could feel the jealous gaze of the four girls as well as other stares from other girls who were staring at Jaune and his well-built muscles that could be easily seen from his clothes. She couldn't help but smirk. Other guys were also glaring at Jaune for attracting Pyrrha freaking Nikos before they even had a chance to introduce themselves to her, and probably seduce her. There would no chance now, seeing that she was basically hanging off Jaune's arm. Jaune, however, seemed oblivious to all this as he focused his attention on Pyrrha, and she loved it. Maybe a kiss to show everyone Jaune was hers? Before she could contemplate that, it was time to sleep.**

Pyrrha noticed she was hanging off Jaune's arm as well, she blushed but didn't move. The blond boy simply sighed and wondered if it was possible to die from embarrassment.

 **Before going to sleep, Lie Ren looked at Jaune, feeling the same energy he had felt years ago. The same energy his parents told him to be on the lookout for. Could he be the one they mentioned? Too tired to even think more about, he went to sleep, with Nora cuddling him on his side.**

Ren wondered what this meant. _Does my family know about the dragons in this dimension?_

 **The next morning, everyone had grabbed their weapons and was now standing on what seemed to be silver platforms facing Emerald Forest. Ozpin and Glynda were also there, ready to start the initiation. Nora was still trying to make sloth noises for Ren to know it was her, who humored her. Ruby was still pouting when Yang told her to try to find and meet new people, as it was part of growing up. There was no need for that! She drinks milk already! That and she wanted only Yang or Jaune. Any other partners would just be too scary for Ruby to even think about it. Others were discussing the rumors about partners when Ozpin coughed to grab all their attention and spoke. Jaune noticed that not all the attendees were at where they were and wondered why, but threw that question away for later.**

"What did happen to the other initiates?" Jaune asked that question he's been meaning to ask.

"We usually hire veteran hunters to take them outside the walls but close enough to help if needed," Ironwood answered. "The objectives vary depending on the area they're sent to: from rescuing dummies that act as civilians to taking over an enemy camp or even just clearing out the Grimm."

 **"For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."**

 **"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of 'teams'," continued Glynda, "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates...** **today** **."**

 **"What? Ohhh...," squeaked Ruby.**

 **"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well," said Ozpin, causing Ruby to groan. "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."**

"Is that really the best way to form teams?" Trevor asked.

Ironwood answered. "It's not but the council won't let us try any new methods."

 **Jaune could only snicker as he saw Ruby's crestfallen face at this as if her world was shattering, squeaking out a word of disbelief. Yang also smiled as she put on her aviator sunglasses. Ozpin finished his lecture with a stern notice to not hesitate and also their mission parameters, to find the abandoned temple, choose a relic, guard it, and return to the cliff. Nobody asked any questions, so they commenced the exam. Of course, some people, especially 5 certain girls, already had in mind who to try to get as a partner.**

 **'Jaune is mine!' thought Pyrrha.**

Pyrrha shrunk in on herself a little as she blushed.

 **'Jaune can fly. Maybe I can make it so I crash into him in the air, making him spread his wings!' thought Blake as she wanted to relish being carried in Jaune's arms again.**

"It must be good if you're that desperate," Yang said to her partner who said nothing.

 **'Jaune should be with me! Blondes should stick together! Although I guess being with my little sister wouldn't be bad either,' thought Yang, 'but preferably with me.'**

Yang's teammates gave her a questioning stare and she responded with "what can I say, he's Jaune-some!" There were quite a few groans and some facepalms.

 **'I don't wanna partner up with someone I don't know! Yang! Jaune! I will find either of them!' Ruby mentally screamed.**

"You panicked that much at initiation?" Weiss asked.

"I got moved up 2 years, remember?' Ruby responded.

"True." Weiss agreed.

 **'Hmph. I better get someone strong like Pyrrha or Jaune,' thought Weiss as she prepared herself.**

 **They were then all sent flying into the air via springing platforms. Ozpin took a sip of his coffee, relishing its taste while also enjoying sending people flying into the forest.**

The stares at the headmaster were starting to get awkward for him so he decided to clarify. "The reason that I encourage landing strategies is lets just say I was tossed out a few windows that were several stories up when I was a huntsman in training."

 **'Hmm, should I use my wings? Naa, not yet; I'm not in the school yet, so I can't let my dad find out, otherwise he could still get me. Better to hide it until I'm sure I'm completely out of his grasp,' thought Jaune as was falling through the sky.**

"Can't be too careful with a guy like that," Qrow commented, his eyebrows creased.

 **He saw Ruby using her gun to lower the impact by for hooking onto a tree but not before running right through a stray bird. Weiss was using a glyph as a jumping pad to break her descent. Pyrrha was crashing through tree branches to slow her descent before landing on one. Yang was having fun using her gauntlets to propel herself forward, using the shotgun recoil. Blake used her Gambol Shroud to hook onto a tree before using her Shadow up onto a branch. Jaune decided to grab his sword and stab into a tree, rotating around it, leaving a trail of splintered wood in the tree before jumping to another one and doing the same thing until he was close to the ground. He threw his shield out in front of him and landed on it, surfing on it. As it so happened, 3 Beowolves were unfortunately there. Jaune smirked as he launched his shield with his foot, stunning one of them. Within the next second, Jaune dashed forward, cutting two of the Grimm in half. The last one, who still at the edge of the shield indented into its face, found itself with a muzzle being pointed into its mouth. Jaune had slipped his hand into the handles of the shield, activating the hand cannon function. Without hesitation, he fired.**

"Fatality!" Nora shouted in a surprisingly deep voice. Ren simply shrugged when a few people questioned him.

 **"Well, then. Time to find someone," said Jaune out loud to himself after making sure there were no more Grimm around him, walking towards where he thought the ruins would be. After casually walking while killing a few Grimm here and there, he heard a noise and shots being fired. Quickly running towards it, he saw a male with black hair with a pink dye on the side wearing green clothes shooting at a giant Grimm serpent, the King Taijitu. The black one was about to bite him when he blocked it with his bare hands. Jaune could see his Aura protecting him before breaking the fangs, twisting into a perfect position to use the fangs as daggers and stab it in the Grimm's eye. Before the snake could react, the boy focused his Aura into his palm and blasted it right into the fang, causing the Grimm's head to explode from the impact.**

"Definitely used too much aura there," Ren said to himself

 **"** ** _The kid's not bad,"_** **said Andusk with interest,** ** _"To be able to channel his Aura like that. Not many are skilled enough have such control over their Aura to do that, and it's not even his Semblance."_**

 **Ren was tired. He just wanted to relax now. Still, he had the white head of the King Taijitu to deal with. Quickly dashing towards it, he grabbed the weapons he had dropped before firing. The white snake tried to bite him when suddenly; a bullet went through its eyes, blinding the Grimm. Taking this chance, Ren spun and decapitated the second head. Looking around, he saw a blonde boy with his shield out, the muzzle of a sniper pointing out from it. Ren just grinned before walking towards him.**

Jaune and Ren shared a fist bump. Nora looked a little sad that they didn't partner up in that dimension but she bounced back to cheery when a stack of pancakes appeared in front of her.

 **"Guess we're partners. I'm Jaune Ryu-Long," introduced Jaune, putting his hand out.**

 **"Lie Ren," replied Ren before shaking it, "But just call me Ren. It's easier. I hope Nora won't mind me not being her partner. She even had a sloth noise ready to call me out."**

 **He mimicked what Nora had decided was a sloth call.**

 **"Isn't that a bird's call?" asked Jaune, "Sloths don't sound like that. Actually, I don't even know what they sound like."**

 **Ren just shrugged, and the two of them left to find the artifacts.**

"Now I'd like to point something out real quick," Trevor said as he pulled out his phone. "This is what a sloth sounds like."

Everyone listened as the sound played.

"I was close! I was close back at initiation!" Nora exclaimed in glee. Ren simply went huh at that little bit of info.

 **Ruby was running through the forest hoping to find Yang or Jaune. Who she found was not someone she wanted, though. She made eye contact with Weiss.**

Weiss and Ruby cringed a little because of how it went down.

 **Weiss huffed and stomped away, hoping to find somebody else even if she had made eye contact with Ruby, leaving Ruby pouting. Her eyes lit up as she saw Pyrrha's back; comparing Pyrrha and Ruby as potential partners, Pyrrha won by a landslide. After all, she had a reputation for being one of the best!**

Weiss inwardly cringed because of how much she sounded like her father.

 **Before she could call her out and deny any fact that she had made eye contact with Ruby, a strange sound rang, and an orange haired girl popped out from a tree, looking right at Pyrrha.**

"In case anyone's wondering, the teams will be the same with the exception of JNPR swapping partners," Trevor said loud enough for everyone to hear.

 **"I guess we're partners," said Pyrrha, "My name is Pyrrha Nikos.**

 **"I'm Nora Valkyrie! I know who you are! I've eaten your cereal before! Ren doesn't let me eat it too often, as it's unhealthy," replied Nora before giggling and jumping off the tree. "Let's go! I need to find Ren, and you probably need to find your boyfriend that I saw you hanging with and hugging."**

 **Pyrrha blushed but didn't deny the accusation before walking off with Nora.**

Nora got up and hugged the Spartan in glee; luckily it wasn't bone-crushing as Pyrrha returned the hug. Both of them felt like they had a sister.

 **Weiss huffed with anger before stomping back to Ruby.**

 **"By no means does this make us friends," grumbled Weiss as she dragged Ruby by her cloak.**

 **"You came back!" cheered Ruby even though she was being dragged.**

Weiss was worried what Winter might say but to her surprise, her sister chuckled instead. The older Schnee saw the confused face her sister was making and decided to clarify. "I was just reminded of how I met my partner when I went to Beacon."

 **As Jaune and Ren were walking, Ren was sure that Jaune was the one emitting the energy he had felt and decided to ask.**

 **"Jaune. Are you in possession of some sort of artifact related to dragons, the ancient rulers?"**

 **Jaune slightly stiffened at this and asked, "Why are you asking this?"**

 **"I can feel some sort of Draconian energy around you. I was told by my parents long ago to look for anyone with the power of dragons. Either your body is making it or you have something on you," answered Ren with a serious face.**

"That explains what my other was reacting to," Ren muttered.

 **Jaune hesitated to answer Ren's question. As he tried to find a way to deflect it, Lung Wang spoke up in his mind,** ** _"I'd say he's trustworthy. I give you permission to reveal your contract to us to this man."_**

 **"** ** _Are you serious?"_** **asked Fafnir.**

 **"** ** _There have been people who have hunted our power before,"_** **warned Alaerth.**

 **"** ** _I agree with Lung Wang. This man is not one who is jealous, but rather a follower of a tradition,"_** **said Ryo-Wo.**

Nora seemed frustrated at that. "Renney is such a stickler for traditions. It's ridiculous!"

Pyrrha and Jaune voiced their agreements with the pink bomber. Ren simply heaved a sigh of annoyance.

 **Jaune took a deep breath, "Ren. Whatever you hear in the next few minutes, you can not disclose to anyone. Not even Nora. Neither Ozpin nor does anybody else should know about this. Do I have your word?"**

 **Ren nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation. Jaune linked up with Fafnir and stomped the ground and spun, creating an earth barrier dome around them so nobody could see them.**

"That could be used for a quick respite in battle," Ironwood commented.

 **"I'm in a contract with dragons. Supposedly, my Semblance is that I'm able to enter into contracts and borrow their powers. Not too sure how it works."**

 **Ren was silent for a bit, trying to see if Jaune was lying from his facial and body movements. There were none. Slowly, he kneeled down in front of Jaune, his left knee touching the ground. His left hand was above his right fist as he greeted him.**

 **"The Ren family, Lie Ren, greets his esteemed holder of dragons," said Ren before bowing.**

"Seems my family remembers the dragons," Ren said then sighed; he wished his family was alive to see this.

"I'd rather you not you become my servant, Ren," Jaune said to his fellow male.

"I don't plan to," Ren responded with a small smile.

 **"** ** _I thought so,"_** **said Lung Wang.**

 **Jaune was confused, and tried to get Ren up, "There's no point in bowing to me."**

 **"Tradition dictates I must," replied Ren as he got back down, "My family carried the history of dragons even when everybody else forgot about them. We were the ones who remembered and respected the Dragon Clan when it still existed. Without it, the Ren family wouldn't exist today. Although I am the last of my family, I will do my duty as best as I can."**

Ren and Nora said nothing as they hugged each other as they only had themselves to rely on for several years.

 **Jaune sighed. He really didn't want his partner to be someone who would always be trying to serve him.**

 **"** ** _Then don't,"_** **said Aryz,** ** _"Give your first command. Tell him to be your friend, not a servant."_**

 **'Good idea,' thought Jaune before making his announcement, "Stand up, then, Lie Ren, last of the Ren family."**

 **Ren slowly stood back up as Jaune continued, "My first order. Forget about that stuff. It's in the past. I want you to be my friend; someone who has my back and will tell me if I'm wrong."**

"You always did ask for my opinion when you planning," Ren said to his teammate.

Jaune shrugged and said. "I always did want a second opinion." Ozpin smiled because Jaune made some of the best plans he's ever seen, even in the heat of battle.

 **Ren tilted his head in confusion for a second before smiling, "I can do that. I'll make sure Nora doesn't bother you too much either. If it's not too much to ask, who are you in a contract with?"**

 **Jaune pondered if he should tell him all of it, but the dragons convinced him to say one only. Lung Wang told him to say his name. When Ren heard it, he again bowed in respect, for Lung Wang was a dragon his family knew very well, as it was from his tradition. Lung Wang laughed and told Jaune to pass Ren a message, saying he liked him.**

"At least I don't have to worry about him roasting your ass." Jaune jabbed.

"But he's not my head." Ren countered.

Ruby giggled at the interaction while Weiss muttered "Boys."

 **They continued to walk to find the artifacts after Jaune lowered the barrier. Ozpin, who had been looking at the cameras, was intrigued for a bit.**

 **'Does that mean Jaune has some sort of earth Semblance?' Ozpin thought to himself while Glynda was telling him all attendees had formed partnerships. She also mentioned how she pitied Pyrrha as she had to team up with one of the most energetic girl she had ever seen.**

"You can blame my semblance for that." Nora piped up. "I'm constantly absorbing the electricity in the air so I'm always hyperactive." Team RWBY were surprised that Nora said something intelligent. The bomber noticed this and gave them a glare while saying. "I'm jumpy, not stupid."

Ren sighed and said. "We've been working to try and stop her from doing that but we haven't had much success." Qrow decided to stay away from that girl.

 **Ozpin barely acknowledged his assistant as he switched to a few other cameras, one of them looking at a lost Ruby and Weiss; he slightly smiled as he saw Weiss huffing, having no idea where to go, but frowned when he heard the conversation between the girls. Ozpin made a few mental notes about this conversation while judging who would be a more proper leader.**

Weiss was disappointed in herself in how she aced; she wanted to prove she was better then her father yet here she is not admitting she's lost and insulting her own partner. The heiress considered herself lucky that Ruby cut a tree and not her and a god was nearby because she was very uncomfortable with the glare Yang was giving the ice queen.

 **He had to smile when he saw what happened next to them, involving a certain Nevermore.**

 **"Nora, I don't think we should go in this cave," said Pyrrha. Nora ignored her and charged in, cackling and saying that there might be sloths inside the cave. Pyrrha sighed as she went in to chase her energetic partner. A few minutes later, they were both running for their lives as a giant Death Stalker burst out the cave. Compared to the usual breed, this Death Stalker must have been far older, as none of their guns could penetrate its hide.**

Pyrrha, Ren, and Jaune all heaved a sigh at the same time. Ren then turned to his partner and said, "Nora, what have I told before?"

The girl in question looked sheepish and said. "Think before acting."

"That's right, so we can avoid stuff like that." Ren finished.

Ironwood, Winter, and Qrow sweatdropped. "This kind of thing normal?" Qrow asked.

"Unfortunately yes. I don't know how many times I had to fix something she broke." Glynda answered, so done with cleaning up after that girl

 **"Why didn't you stop me?" asked Nora, laughing as she was running.**

 **"I'm sorry," was the automatic reply.**

 **"Ah don't be. It was fun. Ren's always telling me to stop and judge my surroundings. Oh, look an Ursa! We can hitch a ride!" said Nora.**

 **Before Pyrrha could stop her, Nora was already on the Grimm, whacking it with her giant war hammer. The Ursa had no choice but to run and follow her directions.**

Quite a few were wondering in Nora was insane. Ren pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. Jaune ran a hand through his hair. All of Team RWBY considered themselves lucky that they didn't have Nora on their team.

 **"C'mon Pyrrha! This is faster and easier!"**

 **Pyrrha sighed before leaping onto the Ursa. The Ursa indeed did go faster than she thought it could. Then again, with Nora provoking it while it was trying to run from a Death Stalker from stabbing it, it could've just been running for its life and survival.**

"Definitely the latter," Qrow commented then asked. "How do you guys put up with her?"

"Seven older sisters," Jaune answered.

"Years of practice," Ren stated.

"I've dealt with worse," Pyrrha added.

Nora pouted and said. "I'm not that bad."

Her teammates responded in sync. "We beg to differ."

Ozpin had to commend them for putting up with a girl like Nora for so long. Winter didn't think she could stand having her as a roommate. Ironwood didn't think he could discipline the girl at all. Qrow had a new respect for those three for putting up with her.

 **Yang was tossing the golden knight chess piece while surveying the area with her partner Blake. The two had become partners after Yang was busy wailing a poor Ursa with anger for cutting a piece of her hair. They noticed that some of the pieces had been taken already, and figured that other people had come and go.**

 **"I hope Ruby is all right," Yang said out loud, "I can't help it since I'm her older sister."**

 **"I'm sure she's fine. She's a prodigy. You said so yourself," replied Blake with an eye roll.**

"You worry too much," Blake said.

"I can't help it, ok?" Yang responded.

 **Yang sighed in agreement. Suddenly, Ren and Jaune popped out from the forest.**

 **"Hey, looks like we found it!" said Jaune. Ren nodded in agreement while Jaune went up to look at the pieces, noticing some were missing, "Any preference?"**

 **"** ** _Hmph. You should take the King chess piece,"_** **said Lung Wang.**

 **"The castle. Nora likes that," said Ren. Jaune shrugged as he took the rook and going back to his partner.**

"Nora began humming her 'Queen of the castle' song.

 **"Jaune!" said Blake and Yang. Both of them looked at each other, asking each other how they knew Jaune mentally before turning back to him.**

 **"Blake, Yang, nice to see you two are doing well. You two are partners?" asked Jaune, walking up next to them. Ren followed along and introduced himself.**

 **They both nodded. Before they could say anything else, they heard a large shriek of a Nevermore, followed by a voice saying heads up. Looking up, they saw Ruby falling down directly towards them. Jaune sighed as he took three steps forward with his arms forward. Ruby fell right into his arms without any trouble for Jaune.**

"Thanks, Jaune" Ruby sheepishly said to the blond.

 **"Falling from the sky Ruby?" asked Jaune. Ruby had her eyes closed to prepare for impact into the ground and slightly opened her eyes to see Jaune smirking at her while carrying her bridal style.**

 **'Lucky,' thought Blake and Yang while Ruby blushed, but made no movements to get off. Another roar in the forest made her jump off to prepare for an attack just to see an Ursa collapse in front of them.**

 **"I think we lost it!" said Nora as she jumped off the Ursa she was riding.**

Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ren sent a small glare Nora's way. The pink grenadier only smiled back.

 **"Please, let's not try that again," said Pyrrha as she got off. She took a look at where her partner was to see her disappear, only to reappear at the pillars containing the chess pieces. Nora took the rook while singing her castle song. Pyrrha could only ruefully grin while walking up to Jaune to say hi again.**

"Sorry, you stuck with Nora, Pyr." Jaune apologized.

"It's alright. Nothing I haven't dealt with before." Pyrrha replied. "Then again, she has proved me wrong on that aspect before."

 **"How could you leave me?" shouted Weiss from above. They all looked up to see her still on the Nevermore, hanging onto its talons.**

"I still don't know how you talked me into riding on a nevermore," Weiss said to her partner. Ruby shrugged as she wasn't quite sure either. Glynda heaved a sigh because of the antics the two teams seem to get into. Winter was slightly concerned for Weiss when she heard that.

 **"I said jump," said Ruby.**

 **"She's gonna fall," reminded Blake.**

 **"She'll be fine," replied Ruby.**

 **"She's falling," deadpanned Ren.**

 **Jaune could only sigh as he took a step back with his arms out again for Weiss to land in his arms, the same as Ruby did.**

"Thank you for catching my sister," Winter said to Jaune as the specialist relaxed now that her sister is out of danger. She knows it's not her actual sister but that didn't stop her from worrying. Jaune nodded in response, completely understanding her worry.

 **"Just dropping in?" asked Jaune. Weiss looked up and blushed but quickly got off, patting herself and trying to look dignified. Pyrrha, Blake, and Yang looked a bit jealous at Weiss.**

Weiss tried to look dignified as well but stop the blush from forming.

 **Suddenly, the trees parted, and a Death Stalker came crawling out, clicking its pincers.**

 **"Whoops," said Nora.**

 **"Nora, what did you do?" Ren sighed, facepalming. Obviously, this giant Death Stalker coming for them was Nora's fault.**

 **"We might have provoked it," Pyrrha apologized, "I'm sorry."**

 **"Don't be," replied Jaune, "Stuff happens."**

 **"Great! The gang's all here! Now we can die together!" said Yang cheerfully.**

 **"Not if I can help it!" replied Ruby, yelling out a battle cry and rushing towards the Death Stalker. Suddenly, she was jerked back by Jaune, who grabbed her hood before she could charge in. She felt some spit come out of her mouth from the sudden halt and glared at Jaune.**

Yang released a sigh of relief because that version of her sister has been stopped from doing something stupid.

"Thought I taught you better than that, Ruby." Qrow scolded with a light glare. Ruby mumbled an apology.

 **"There's no point in fighting right now. Your objective is right in front of you. There are two large Grimm, and you're about to charge into one of them without any clear communication," lectured Jaune.**

Ironwood was reminded of some of the recruits: Eager to prove themselves and ready to charge into battle without considering the consequences.

 **Ruby blushed as she understood the consequences of her action before grabbing a knight piece and turning to the crowd, "He's right. Live to fight another day. No point in risking more than we should to complete our objective."**

 **Everyone nodded and quickly ran off, hoping to lose the Death Stalker and Nevermore. Still, they were quite persistent on chasing them. The Nevermore got ahead of them and blocked their paths as they arrived at some ruins before the cliffs. Jaune took a look back and noticed the Death Stalker still chasing them.**

"That giant scorpion was a pain to deal with," Jaune mumbled. He was thankful he had aura at the time because his arm felt numb when he blocked its attack.

 **"Everyone, run forward. Ren, with me."**

 **"Nora, distract the Nevermore," said Ren before following Jaune.**

 **As everyone ran forward, the Nevermore gave a cry before firing sharpened feathers at them. They all dodged it as Nora took out her grenade launcher and fired away. The Nevermore shrieked in pain before flying up to the sky to avoid damage.**

 **Ren and Jaune fire their weapons at the thick hide of the Death Stalker. All it did seem to just anger it. As it got closer, it swung its pincer. Jaune struck back at it with his sword at full force with a two-handed upward swing, causing it to stumble back from the impact. Jaune quickly used the momentum to strike downwards, sending rocks flying towards the Death Stalker. Seeing as it was now quite distracted and stunned, Ren and Jaune took this opportunity to run towards the ruins to catch up. Both of them were shooting wildly behind them at the same time, hoping to get some more damage in.**

The two male students shared a fist bump without looking at each other.

 **The girls managed to get to the bridge when Pyrrha turned around to see Jaune and Ren trying to catch up.**

 **"Go, go!" shouted Pyrrha as she converted** _ **Milo**_ **into a rifle and started firing at the Death Stalker. Ren and Jaune managed to get on the bridge before they all ran again. The Death Stalker stopped at the edge, not willing to run on a path that it couldn't fit on. The others continued their path when the Nevermore suddenly swerved into the bridge they were all running on. They were split into two groups. On the side closest to the Nevermore was Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, and Blake. The other side had the other four girls, who were shooting at the Nevermore.**

 **"I need to get back to my partner," said Nora.**

 **"Go, we'll handle things here. Blake can come to us after," said Ruby.**

 **Nora nodded as she converted her weapon Magnhild into a hammer and shouted out to Blake. Blake who had tried an aerial attack at the Death Stalker was knocked down by its pincer, but Jaune managed to catch her before she hit the ground. She looked at Nora and nodded before running and jumping off the edge. Nora slammed jumped and turned to slam the ground, causing a good chunk of it to capsize. Quickly switching her position so her feet were on the hammer's head, she pressed a button to force a grenade shot out of the hammer's head, causing her to soar over to Jaune and them, smashing her hammer down at the Death Stalker.**

Does she know the meaning of the word restraint?" Ironwood whispered to Glynda.

The teacher sighed and muttered. "No, I'm afraid not."

 **Blake tossed her weapon into the capsized rock, allowing her to swing under it for a bit before recalling it and using her Semblance to dash into a pole. Using her innate skills, she climbed up a bit before tossing her weapon to swing her right into the Nevermore. Drawing out her sheath as a secondary weapon, she slashed and dashed across the Nevermore's back before landing with Ruby and her gang.**

 **"It's tougher than it looks!" warned Blake as she felt her blades barely penetrate the Nevermore's skin. "Then let's hit it with everything we got!" said Yang as she prepped up her shotgun gauntlets Ember Celica. Weiss prepared her rapier Myrtenaster, and Ruby positioned her Crescent Rose. They all opened fire. The Nevermore, shrugging off the attacks, crashed into the building they were all on before flying away. The girls managed to dodge the falling rocks while getting back on solid ground**

 **"Cover me, I have a plan!" shouted Ruby to Weiss, who nodded and dashed towards the Nevermore. Ruby went to quickly tell her plans to her other teammates.**

"I don't even want to know where you came up with such an idea," Weiss said her partner with her hands on her hips.

"It worked didn't it?" Ruby retorted. She won't admit that she had no idea where her plan came from.

 **Back with Jaune and his crew, they found themselves at a collapsing bridge with the Death Stalker in front of them.**

 **"We gotta move!" yelled Jaune.**

 **They all nodded and charged. Pyrrha blocked the first pincer on her left with her shield before transforming her weapon into a xyphos and slashed at its eye. Jaune blocked the second pincer and stabbed its claw joint. Ren was running directly at the Death Stalker when it tried to use its stinger to stab him. He dodged it before grabbing onto it and shooting its stinger at point blank range. Nora provided heavy artillery, shooting it at the Death Stalker's eyes. Angry at this, the Death Stalker swept its claws in before swiping it out at the same time at Jaune and Pyrrha hoping to push them off.**

 **"Get behind me!" shouted Jaune.**

 **Pyrrha immediately obeyed, leaving Jaune to deal with the incoming swipe. He linked up with Fafnir and held his ground, halting the attack completely. The Death Stalker was shocked to see its pincers halted completely. It became more frightened when it senses that the man standing there was leaking Aura and energy similar to the beings that once ruled Remnant. Before it could do anything, Jaune pushed. The Death Stalker stumbled backward with Ren still shooting its stinger. Suddenly, Pyrrha dashed in with two xiphos in hands now, having transformed her shield into a weapon. She stabbed and slashed rapidly at the Death Stalkers eyes, causing at least 4 of its eyes to go blind. It flailed in pain, stinger swinging wildly. Ren, however, had already jumped into the air when he saw Pyrrha charging in. Taking a deep breath, Ren spun and cut the stinger off, causing it to land on its head. Ren landed on the Grimm's head with the stinger behind him and quickly turned around, doing an arcing kick loaded with Aura directly on the stinger, causing it to go down a bit deeper, forcing the Death Stalker to flail in pain even more.**

Pyrrha smiled because of how well they all worked together back at initiation, and they just met. Nora was giddy because of the finisher her other is going to do

 **"Nora, nail it!" shouted Jaune as he positioned his shield above his head.**

 **"Heads up!" shouted Nora, jumping onto his shield, hammer's flat head facing the shield.**

 **With a quick count, Jaune sent Nora into the sky as Nora triggered an explosion to send her up higher. As she reached the apex of her arc, Jaune swore she could hear her giggling before she fired another shot to send herself spinning.**

 **"Pyrrha!" shouted Jaune.**

 **She immediately knew what Jaune wanted, and jumped back next to him before letting her hand glow black. Nora's weapon glowed a bit, and her rotation increased even more. Ren had already jumped away into safe land after doing his attack.**

Nora is giggling madly and wishes it would hurry up. Jaune decided to keep that move in mind in case they have o deal with another giant Grimm.

 **With a huge bang, Nora slammed the stinger even further into the Death Stalker, so much that the end of the stinger was touching the ground through its head. Acting like a see-saw, the bridge end where Jaune and Pyrrha went up, allowing them to fly over the Death Stalker while it was now doing its death flail. Nora quickly swung her body as she triggered another point-blank explosion so she would also land on safe ground, right towards Ren. Ren sighed as he prepared himself and caught Nora impacting on him, slightly being pushed back before stabilizing himself. Jaune and Pyrrha landed next to each other, mirroring each other's landing pose. They looked at each other and grinned before taking a look to see if Ruby and her team needed help.**

 **Yang was shooting out ranged shots, switching her ammo from buck shots for ranged attacks. She kept punching until one of them finally landed on the Nevermore's head. Irritated, the Nevermore swerved around, flying straight for Yang. Its mouth opened wide, intent on eating her with one merely smirked at this before jumping up right towards the Nevermore. Almost in slow motion, Jaune and his team saw that Yang managed to time it perfectly, her legs at the bottom of the Nevermore's beak while her left hand held the top of it open, preventing her from being eaten while also giving her the chance to land some solid hits.**

 **"I. HOPE. YOU'RE. HUNGRY!" grunted Yang, punching and launching projectiles into the Nevermore's open and defenseless mouth.**

Yang laughed; she had a blast while blasting the bird's mouth. Qrow shook his head in amusement; she's Tai's daughter alright.

 **The Nevermore groaned in pain as it began to descend and lose control of its flight. Seeing that they were near a wall, Yang quickly backflipped away into the ground while the Nevermore collided into the cliff, unable to stabilize itself in time. Still, it landed on its claws before cawing out in anger. Yang looked up and grinned as she noticed everybody was already in place. Blake was on top of a pillar, Ruby was at the center, and Weiss was already running towards the Nevermore. Weiss dashed past her as Yang quickly ran to her position, at the other pillar across from Blake.**

 **The Nevermore flapped its wing, trying to ascend into the air again to regain its advantage. Weiss, however, took that away from it by freezing its feathers into the ground. The Nevermore squawked in surprise, trying to free itself from its icy prison. Weiss quickly jumped up, using a glyph as a foothold to quickly run back to her position. Blake quickly threw her weapon towards Yang with the ribbon tied around her wrists several times. Yang grabbed** _ **Gambol Shroud**_ **and stuck the blade onto the stone pillar before pushing in her body weight for support. Blake pulled on her side, creating a tight tension on the ribbon, perfect for a slingshot. The ribbon was created from special materials; otherwise, this plan wouldn't work. Ruby smile as she used the recoil from her sniper to send herself to the slingshot, quickly maneuvering herself in the air to let the blunt end of** _ **Crescent Rose**_ **hit the ribbon first. The ribbon started to stretch to its maximum tension, where Ruby was standing on her beloved weapon. Weiss quickly summoned her usual white glyphs before flicking her finger upwards and readjusting the position, so it would intercept and hold Ruby in place. The glyph quickly turned black and held Ruby in place as the slingshot was ready for launch. Ruby quickly switched out her ammo pack for the special gravity Dust bullets. This would allow the recoil to be much stronger, and aid her in what she had planned.**

Qrow chuckled "Seriously Ruby? That's how you took it out?" Ruby shrugged her shoulder as if to say 'hey it worked.'

 **"Of course, you would come up with this idea," scoffed Weiss. Inside, she was impressed by how Ruby was able to make a plan so fast.**

 **"Think you can make the shot?" asked Ruby.**

 **"Hmph. Can I?" smirked Weiss.**

 **Ruby frowned and raised her head in confusion at this, missing her sarcasm. She turned to look at Weiss, "Can yo-?"**

 **"Of course I can!" snapped Weiss. She mentally did a facepalm, noting that sarcasm went over Ruby's head sometimes.**

"I'm not the best around new people, ok?" Ruby admitted.

 **Ruby looked forward, eyes sharpening and grinning as she cocked her beloved** _ **Crescent Rose**_ **, ready to fire. Weiss lifted her blade** _ **Myrtenaster**_ **for a second before swinging it, a light blow glow following it. The glyph turned red and let go, shooting Ruby forward. She left a trail of rose petals as she began to fire as fast as she could, increasing her velocity. The Nevermore, still trying to free itself, suddenly found itself being dragged into the wall with a scythe on its neck. Just before Ruby landed on the wall, Weiss quickly summoned glyphs at Ruby's feet, keeping her in place there before summoning as many glyphs that lead up all the way to the top of the cliff. Once she was done with that, she collapsed into the ground, tired. Yang quickly helped her up.**

 **As soon as Ruby landed, she started running up the wall, dragging the heavy Nevermore behind her while leaving a trail of broken rocks from being dragged, ignoring all that weight that she technically wasn't supposed to be able to drag. Weiss' glyphs certainly helped as it also propelled her forward, letting the majority of the weight be lifted off. She was still spamming as many shots as possible, using the recoil to boost her forward. Ruby yelled as she was dragging her victim up, getting louder and louder until she reached the top. At the apex, the Nevermore was stuck in a hard place. As Ruby still had her momentum with her scythe, its head was stuck between the scythe and the jutting of a few rocks. Grimm flesh gave way to the scythe and Ruby decapitated the Nevermore. The head stuck with Ruby at the top of the cliff while the rest of its body slowly slumped away from the cliff and towards the ground.**

 **"Well, that was a thing," commented Yang as she looked at her sister proudly. The other two nodded in reply.**

"Ya think?" Trevor asked. Ruby was honestly proud of how awesome she looked. Qrow chuckled because of the plan her niece came up with in that head of hers.

 **Yang then thought of something she was sure would make her new friends laugh.**

 **"Guess Ruby has a** _ **head**_ **start on us. Hopefully, it won't go into her** _ **head,"**_ **grinned Yang. The two just groaned at her puns. She was one of those people.**

Everyone, not including Yang groaned at the terrible pun. The blonde simply laughed.

 **Jaune whistled, impressed at their tactics.**

 **"** ** _That Yang girl is pretty gutsy to do that. I like her,"_** **said Lung Wang.**

 **"** ** _I'll admit, those point-blank shots into the mouth was impressive,"_** **admitted Othim,** ** _"But so was that finishing move!"_**

Yang and Ruby shared a high-five. Glynda sighed as she pushed up her glasses. Honestly the things they come up with. Ironwood didn't know whether to be impressed at how effective the plan was or how crazy it was. Winter worried what kind of antics her sister has gotten up to ever since teams were formed.

 **"** ** _It seems like Ruby was the one who put up the whole plan together,"_** **observed Andsuk. Ruby was indeed a worthy addition, and if she ever got the mate mark, she would become so much stronger.**

 **Soon, they were all back in the auditorium, but with the students of the academy there to welcome there. After asking around, Jaune found out that other attendees were placed into other groups all around the Emerald Forest, meaning everyone had a different starting point. They were all the same distance to the relics to give everyone the same chance. It became obvious that Ozpin also wanted Hunters to be able to navigate through the forests themselves as well as be able to work with others. Overall, out of all the attendees trying to get into Beacon, only 40 students were accepted, as there were only 20 chess pieces available. The ones that failed to reach the goal in time were sent back home with a pat on a back or a suggestion to attend other fields of study. Those that still wanted to try were welcome to come back next year.**

 **As Ozpin called up four people at once to form teams, Jaune spent his time wondering how he was supposed to tell the girls about his "conditions". Would they accept it, or would they look at him with disgust and leave? Jaune shivered at that thought, though Aryz kept whispering to him that it would be all right.**

Jaune worried what his sisters and parents will think; they've always been overprotective of him so they might not approve and even if they could it would be a long and bumpy road. Though knowing his dad he'll approve as long as he treats them fairly and vice-versa.

Pyrrha saw her boyfriend panicking a little and whispered. "It'll be fine, Jaune. We'll be right there with you." Jaune looked over to confirm and the look in her eyes helped get rid of any worries the blond boy had. He then leaned onto her as she rested her head on the crook of his neck.

 **He heard his name called up with Ren, Pyrrha, and Nora and quickly walked up the stage.**

 **"Jaune Ryu-Long. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR.," announced Ozpin. Everybody clapped in welcoming the new team. Nora was hugging Ren in happiness.**

 **"Led by... Jaune Ryu-Long!"**

 **"** ** _Haha! Just as I suspected! Well done, boy,"_** **congratulated Lung Wang in pride.**

 **"** ** _A fitting position,"_** **said Ryo-Wo.**

Jaune smiled because of how supportive of the dragons are. Ozpin smirked because he was the best choice out of the four; Not Pyrrha because she hates being in the spotlight and too lenient, not Ren because the boy was too passive and lazy at times, not Nora because . . . well, Nora.

 **The other dragons offered their congratulations, but Jaune's attention was mostly on Pyrrha, who seemed to give off her real smile again towards him, not the fake smile that she gave off the crowd. He liked it and hoped to see more of it again. Jaune took a look at Ozpin, who was also smirking.**

 **"Congratulations, young man. Show him what he failed to see," whispered Ozpin. Jaune nodded in reply.**

 **After that, they witnessed the birth of team RWBY, led by Ruby Rose. They were all shown to their rooms after it was over. By luck or chance, team RWBY was right across from team JNPR. As Jaune put his head on his pillow, he found himself exhausted. He wasn't the only one. Everybody who had just been accepted found themselves sleeping very easily after changing into their night clothes. Most didn't even bother unpacking their stuff before conking out.**

Blake then closed the book and asked. "Who wants to read next?" Weiss said she wanted and the Faunus handed the book off to her teammate.


	11. Chapter 10

**Next chapter is out. I would have gotten this out sooner but I kept forgetting to do it and SOLs are coming up. But on the bright side is I'm graduating high school this year. Wooo! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter and as always let me know if you have any comments you want me to add, see any spelling mistakes or anything else. Enjoy!**

 **[Hr]**

Weiss would've begun reading but Ruby was studying her new rapier. "Would you sit down already?" She snapped. "You can look at it later."

Ruby apologized and went back to her seat. Weiss took a breath and began to read.

 **Chapter 10: Badge & Burden, Revealing the Truth**

Weiss internally cringed because her sister is going to see the fight about leadership between her and her partner.

 **Jaune woke up an hour later than his usual time. Lung Wang had allowed him to sleep till 7 am instead of 6, stating that this would be one of the few times he would be lenient. Jaune was glad as he stretched, remembering he was in Beacon. He smiled at that. He was now free from his father's influence! No longer did he have to fear that Vlad would be able to reach him now. Jaune looked around the room to see his roommates still asleep. Nora was drooling and sleep-talking about sloths. Ren was completely motionless like a dead body and Pyrrha was curled up in a circle.**

"I really wish you'd give some kind of indicator that you didn't die in your sleep," Jaune said in annoyance; he had a little panic attack the first time he saw Ren asleep.

 **He decided to head to the bathroom first to wash up first before unpacking all his stuff, which wasn't much. Jaune decided to grab a few breakfast sandwiches from the cafeteria just in case.**

 **It was around 7:45 did Ren and Pyrrha finally wake up. Jaune had already placed his clothes into his closet and was looking through the schedule. Ren immediately got up and shook Nora up, who refused and tried to punch Ren. Ren, who was used to her habits, merely dodged before pushing her off the bed to force her to wake up. Still, she refused to let go of her blankets until he promised pancakes. Nora shot off to the bathroom right after the magic words.**

"Nora isn't the only one that throws punches in her sleep," Ruby said in annoyance, she then glared at her sister.

"I said sorry, ok? Sheesh." Yang responded. Blake absentmindedly rubbed her jaw.

 **Pyrrha had to take 5 minutes before she was finally up and yawned rather cutely, in Jaune's opinion. Quickly also going to the bathroom to share the sink for Nora, Ren was left to clean up and unpack his items first. Jaune tossed him a sandwich for him to eat. Around 8:15, Jaune and Ren heard a whistle being blown next door, where team RWBY was.**

Quite a few gave Ruby a sideways glance. "I got the whistle for Ruby's 12th birthday to use with Zwei," The blond brawler sighed and continued. "She loved using that whistle to wake me and dad up."

 **The two males looked at each other before shrugging and continued what they were doing. Nora and Pyrrha got out of the bathroom, allowing Ren to use it. Several minutes later, he was back into his prim look.**

 **"Well, then team JNPR, today's a big day. It's the first day of our life at Beacon!" announced Jaune. Nora giggled while Pyrrha and Ren smiled. They were eating the sandwiches Jaune had provided for them and were wearing their uniforms. Next door, though, they could hear hammering and buzz saws going off. They all pondered what was going on, but just shrugged.**

Ozpin and Glynda shared a look. Jaune wondered aloud. "Where'd you girls get the power tools?" Team RWBY looked amongst each other as they weren't sure either now that they thought about it. Winter hoped whatever they were making was structurally sound.

 **"It's 8:45. We should get going to class, Professor Port's lectures start at 9," reminded Ren.**

 **"Urg. Class," moaned Nora childishly, "Can we skip it?"**

 **"I'm sure Professor Port has some important information to give to us," said Pyrrha, "Its Grimm studies. We can find out what type of Grimm there are and their weakness."**

"If he's actually teaching," Yang mumbled softly enough only Blake heard it because of her heritage.

 **"All right, then. Off to the lecture!" said Jaune. They exited the room and were about to leave when Jaune decided to knock on team RWBY's door. Weiss popped out, frowning at the interruption.**

 **"What?" she demanded with irritation.**

 **"Class starts in 15 minutes," reminded Jaune before walking away.**

 **Weiss stood there for a few seconds before shrieking in panic.**

 **"What's wrong?" asked Ruby. Blake and Yang also stopped what they were doing.**

 **"You dolts! We have class in 15 minutes!" yelled Weiss. Team RWBY quickly dropped what they were doing, grabbing their supplies before running out the door to catch up with team JNPR, unable to complete their bunk-beds.**

"Wait," Pyrrha spoke up as she spotted something. "Was that my shield?" she and a few others directed their gaze to Yang who in a way that said 'I don't know.'

 **"** ** _This is what we have to listen to for the next 2 hours?"_** **deadpanned Lung Wang,** ** _"There could be better stuff to do than listening to someone brag."_**

 **Jaune couldn't help but agree. What was Grimm Studies from Professor Port ended up to be Port's story time about his adventures with cabbages somehow being mixed into it? Jaune couldn't help but start to nod off. Ren was motionless and had his face slightly covered by his hand while looking down at his notes. He had disguised himself perfectly as a studious student when he was really napping. Nora had just given up and planted her head face down. Pyrrha was struggling to put a perfect student example but was taking notes at random times.**

Yang, Nora, her pet, and surprisingly Winter were nodding off. "As big a windbag as ever." The older Schnee commented. Weiss looked shocked at her sister's comment. Winter turned to her sister and stated. "Trust me when I say you learn more from a book in less time then you do from him." She finished as she gestured to the screen.

"He winked at me on the first day," Yang commented, shivering slightly in disgust. Qrow decided to have a private conversation between him, Port, and his weapon.

 **Jaune took a glance at team RWBY to see only Weiss seemed to be paying attention. Blake was reading her book, Yang was looking around the room to see if there was something interesting, and Ruby was... drawing?**

 **"** ** _At least pay attention to the pictures behind the teacher,"_** **scolded Aryz,** ** _"They look important, considering how detailed they are."_**

 **Jaune nodded and started to copy it down until he realized that the so-called descriptions on the pictures were just Port's note of saying how he faced them in an epic battle without many helpful hints.**

 **"** ** _Never mind,"_** **groaned Aryz,** _ **"Take this time to meditate a little, I suppose."**_

 _Glynda decided she needed to have a talk with Ozpin about Port's teaching methods. Ozpin planned to speak to Port about this._

 **Still, Jaune took some notes just in case. There was at least some useful information Professor Port would spout out every now and then. Jaune was quite deep into his meditation when suddenly; Weiss raised her hand, saying "I do, sir!"**

"No, I don't," Weiss mumbled to herself. Ruby heard this and set her head on Weiss' shoulder in a show of support.

 **"What did I miss?" Jaune asked Pyrrha as she gently shook Ren up, who shook Nora up.**

 **"Weiss volunteered to show Professor Port her skills," replied Pyrrha as the teacher pulled out a cage containing something in it. It was shaking and growling.**

 **Ten minutes later, Weiss returned, wearing her usual attire along with her weapon by her side.**

 **"** ** _Well, let's see if Weiss is as skilled as Winter is,"_** **murmured Ryo-Wo.**

 **"Gooo, Weiss!" shouted Yang as she raised her fist to cheer.**

 **Blake was waving a small flag that had RWBY on it "Fight well!"**

"Where'd you get the flag?" Yang asked.

"Umm." Was Blake's intelligent response as she had no idea.

 **"Yeah, represent teeeeam RWBY!" shouted Ruby.**

 **Weiss lowered her rapier, glowering at Ruby before replying, "Ruby! I'm trying to focus!"**

Winter frowned at her sister's attitude. Perhaps she wasn't as thorough as she thought with Weiss mannerisms. Weiss hissed at how she reacted to Ruby's shout. It's worse for her since she has to read it aloud.

 **Jaune frowned. That was no way to treat a teammate, especially her leader.**

 **Port seemed to ignore all this tension as he pulled out his ax, "Allll right! Let the match... begin!"**

 **Right as he finished, he swung down and broke the lock in the cage, revealing a Boarbatusk, a boar-like Grimm. The Grimm immediately charged for Weiss, who dodged its charge while whipping her sword at its side. The attack barely seemed to register to the Grimm as it turned around, pawing its hooves and huffing.**

 **Weiss charged in with her rapier, trying to pierce its head only to find out that the bone mask when the Boarbatusk suddenly swung its head, intercepting the rapier and causing it to get stuck on its tusk. Weiss jumped into the air, swinging around to kill the momentum she had generated so she wouldn't have her body gored by those tusks. Weiss struggled to get it free when the Grimm suddenly turned its head and ripped Myrtenmaster out of her grip.**

So far Winter was disappointed that her sister is trying to face a boarbatusk head-on; something that is to be avoided unless you have a good reason. Obviously, Weiss' anger was clouding her judgment.

 **"Oh-ho! Now what will you do without your weapon?" asked Port.**

 **Weiss looked up to see the Boarbatusk charge at her again and dodged, quickly running toward her weapon. The Grimm had slammed into a desk, causing it to lose balance and giving Weiss some valuable time.**

 **"Weiss! Go for its belly! There's no armor underneath-" shouted Ruby as advice, but that merely made Weiss get even angrier.**

 **"Stop telling me what to do!" she shouted in rebuttal, not noticing Ruby looking hurt at her reply.**

Ironwood sighed as he knew a few subordinates thought they knew better than him; they usually wound up with a very bad injury or dead.

 **The Boartabusk jumped up into the air and curled up into a ball, landing, and spinning in place, gaining speed.**

 **"** ** _OOH! I would kick that Grimm like a soccer ball!"_** **shouted Othim in excitement. Jaune rolled his eyes at that. He wasn't exactly disagreeing with that plan, but he'd rather have Nora use her hammer and smash it into the Grimm and send it flying like a golf ball. He was sure Nora could do it too.**

Nora giggles madly while her new pet looks up at its owner, squeaking so as to get her attention. Nora notices and gives her new pet a hug. "Don't worry, George. I'll get you a hammer when we get home."

 **Weiss activated two blue-white glyphs at once, one in front of her and the other one behind her above her head. The Boartabusk spun forward and slammed into the glyph. The glyph held and forced the Grimm to be knocked back onto its back. Weiss quickly jumped into the air, feet landing on the glyph before it turned black, holding her in place for a bit before it turned back to its normal color. Weiss dived towards the Boartabusk with her rapier, driving it into its unprotected stomach and killing it. Whether she had thought of it herself or followed Ruby's advice remained to be seen.**

"I did but I never would've admitted it at the time," Weiss confessed with a saddened tone of voice. Ruby hugged her partner who sighed but did nothing to get her off as a small smile appeared on her face.

 **"Bravo! Bra-vo! It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true Huntress-in-training!" applauded Professor Port as Weiss slowly stood up, still slightly panting from her moves, "I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and... Stay** _ **vigilant**_ **! Class dismissed!"**

 **Weiss glared for a bit before turning away, huffing towards the exit right past her teammates. Ruby, still frowning, quickly ran to chase after Weiss.**

Weiss paused because of the guilt she felt for yelling at her partner. They made up for it but she still felt bad. Winter wanted to comfort her but it seems like her team has that covered and now isn't the best time.

 **Jaune frowned at this attitude. It appeared that she did not inherit her sister's entire attitude and had some of her father's instead. Jaune shook his head as he remembered Whitley. That was a brat he'd rather not deal with, even if it had been satisfying to shut him up with words only.**

 **The day passed on rather quickly. Jaune and his team bonded closely as they went through Doctor Oobleck's class on History of Remnant and Professor Peach's class on Survival 101. Jaune and the dragons were interested in the history class, as the dragons wanted to know what had happened while they were gone. Jaune merely enjoyed the class, even if Oobleck spoke faster than normal people. Luckily, Velvet, who was the T.A. for his class, had advised him to carry a recorder and slow down his voice if Jaune had trouble catching up.**

"Why does he need to drink so much coffee?" Ruby asked.

"I wish I could answer you but sadly I don't know." Glynda admittedly replied.

 **Professor Peach taught Survival 101, but it wasn't as interesting as the other classes as he already knew how to survive out in the wilderness; some of her advice Jaune threw away as he had a better way of doing it; some of the things that did stick with him were how some of the food he didn't know existed was edible. Combat Class was held every other day with Glynda, along with Survival 101. Combat Class had the longest time zone as it was the reason why they had come to these Academies, of course. Another interesting class taught by Glynda and Peach was Dust use and Research.**

"I'd like to point out that when I visit one of your dimensions the only time hear of Peach is during the trip to the forest of forever fall," Trevor spoke.

"Peach is a bit of a recluse but no less a very good teacher." Ozpin countered.

 **The schedule was tentative to changes, as they knew they would be taking trips every now and then. That and this was their first year and semester. It was in the second semester when they would be taking on missions, albeit the easy ones that the schedules would change.**

 **The rest of the evening was for the students to decide what to do. Most opted to socialize, head to the gym, or study in the library. Training arenas were open for reservations only. Only two arenas allowed walk-ins, and those were first come, first served, but with an hour limit only as compared to reserving an arena for up to 3 hours.**

Glynda sighs; the students are so messy these days! She swears the students somehow make bigger and bigger messes with each new batch.

 **Jaune took this chance to call Dew after dinner. He excused himself as he went to the library and placed a call to her. After a few rings, she picked up.**

 **"Hello, who is this and how do you ha-" greeted Dew until she saw Jaune waving at her.**

 **"Jaune!" Dew shouted in surprise. This attracted her teammates Nebula, Gwen, and Octavia, who went over to say hi.**

 **"Nice to talk to you guys again," greeted Jaune.**

 **"Hold on, let me put you on the big screen," said Dew, flustered before she finally attached her Scroll to a bigger screen.**

 **"How have you all been? You're all on the same team?" asked Jaune.**

 **"Yep! We're team NDGO, and I'm the leader," said Nebula, puffing her chest proudly.**

"What's with the team names?" Trevor asked. "I really don't get it."

"It has been an honored tradition among the academies. The founders came up with it as one of their teammates came up with the idea but their names have been lost to history." Ozpin stated.

 **They talked for a while, catching up on what had happened during their time apart. Dew took the most time talking with Jaune, but the others of team NDGO didn't mind. They knew Dew still had a crush on Jaune. She certainly didn't like it when she heard Pyrrha Nikos was on his team but hid it well.**

 **'I don't care if I have to fight the Goddess of Victory for Jaune!' she mentally shouted.**

"Gotta give her credit for her determination," Yang commented. Pyrrha felt ready to defend what's hers but remembered the reason Jaune needs so many girlfriends.

 **"Speaking of boys, you know Dew has an admirer?" said Octavia.**

 **"Octavia!" shouted Dew, trying to shush her.**

 **"More like a persistent stalker," said Gwen, "He's Aurelian Arc's younger brother, Boyd Arc, keeps hitting on Dew, saying that she should be honored that he's asking her out. Basically has the same look as his brother, just an uglier face and spiky blonde hair."**

Jaune let out a breath through his nose, jaw clenched tight as he thought of that man getting his grubby hands on any of his friends, especially his girlfriend. Weiss' face scrunched up like she had something sour. Yang's hands were twitching as she felt the need to punch something. Ozpin sighed; he wondered when they'd hear of the 2nd half brother.

 **Jaune felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance before asking, "He's not forcing you to do anything, right?"**

 **Dew shook his head, "Na, he's not strong enough. It does get annoying, though. No worries, my teammates got my back."**

 **Jaune nodded, "Just tell me if he gives you trouble. Since I no longer have to hide, I can help."**

 **"How would you help your damsel in distress so far away?" teased Octavia.**

 **"I have my ways," replied Jaune as he grinned before saying goodbye.**

"I don't even want to know." Blake piped.

"Ohh! Maybe he'll use his wings to fly over there really, really fast!" Nora said in her usual happy tone. Quite a few wouldn't put it past Ryu-Long.

 **"Mmm, you hear that Dew? Jaune will rescue you, all you need to do is call," teased Octavia. Dew was blushing madly.**

 **"Next time, you should call him with a video call while making it seem like you just got out of the shower with a towel covering your body," teased Nebula.**

Pyrrha blushed as she thought of doing the same for Jaune. The blond in question blushed and looked away from the screen. Ironwood's eyebrows shot up in surprise, what were the students at the other academies up to?

 **"Shut up shut up shut up!" replied Dew, her whole body becoming red in embarrassment.**

 **"It would be effective," popped in Gwen.**

 **"Not you too!" cried out Dew.**

Weiss sighed; she hates it when her teammates gang up on her sometimes but the small smile on her face said otherwise.

 **Jaune was whistling a song as he started to walk back to his dorm when he saw Weiss sitting at the fountain just looking up into the shattered moon, deep in thought. He was about to walk by when Weiss called him out. He stopped and turned around to see her walking up to him.**

Weiss worried what her sister might think.

 **"Something wrong?" Jaune asked.**

 **"Jaune; Tell me the truth. Do you believe that Ruby is better suited to be leader than me?" asked Weiss.**

 **Jaune shrugged before answering, "It's only been the first day. That remains to be seen if that's true. However, it was Ruby who planned out taking the Nevermore, right?" Weiss nodded in reply.**

 **"So give her a chance. I saw you pouting since you didn't get the leadership position."**

 **"But-" started Weiss, but Jaune didn't let her finish.**

Weiss flinched when her sister sighed. "You always were quick to jump to conclusions," Winter said.

 **"No buts. If Ruby is the leader, then it's your job to give her the chance to prove herself. If you don't even let her try, then you can't be a good leader yourself, as you wouldn't even let your team help you. And if they can't help you, how can you develop trust between them? "**

 **Weiss pondered about it for a while. Port had basically told her the same thing, but she felt like she needed one more input before making her decision. It may have been selfish, but it was always better to get another opinion just in case.**

To Weiss, it was a moment of clarity for her as no one ever gets everything they want in life by just demanding it; you have to earn it.

 **"Thank you, Jaune. I'll have to apologize to Ruby for my attitude," said Weiss, thanking Jaune. Jaune just nodded and was about to leave when he felt Weiss hug him from behind.**

 **"Take that as thanks," said Weiss, blushing before running off to her dorm.**

"Didn't you kiss him back in Atlas?" Yang teased.

"That was different! And it was on the cheek!" Weiss retorted with a blush but Yang grinned as she knew the blond won this round.

 **"** ** _Not bad. You melted the Ice Queen's heart,"_** **complimented Othim.**

 **"** ** _She still has some work to do, but in time, she'll be a good mate for you to use me to mark,"_** **said Ryo-Wo.**

If Yang's grin got any bigger then it would split her face.

 **Jaune was a little shocked but headed back to his dorms before his teammates wondered where he was.**

 **Pyrrha was sitting on her bed, brushing her hair while thinking about Jaune. She was happy to be on his team but wanted more. She could feel the gazes of other girls besides Nora, wanting to claim Jaune as theirs; especially from team RWBY. She decided she needed to make a move soon when Jaune told her he was calling Dew to see how she was doing.**

 **Suddenly, the door swung open and Jaune entered in. Nora and Ren greeted him, but Pyrrha was left tongue-tied. She mentally screamed at herself to get a grip and confess! She had already kissed him once when he was at Mistral, it shouldn't be hard to do it again! Before she could say anything, Jaune announced a team meeting where they should talk about their abilities, likes/dislikes, hobbies, and/or life only if they wanted to so as to be able to work better as a team. Everyone agreed and went to bed. Pyrrha was left frustrated, but at the same time, Jaune was finally willing to talk about his past, even if it was just a little.**

"You had it that bad for me?" Jaune asked with a smirk. Pyrrha blushed and turned away. "Sounds like you were addicted." He continued. In response, Pyrrha half-heartedly slapped his arm.

"You've been spending too much time around Yang," Pyrrha stated.

 **A week went by, and the weekend had finally arrived for them. Jaune had reserved a room for them to eat and talk in Vale. However, instead of just team JNPR, team RWBY was tagging along. Jaune sighed as he contemplated how that had happened. Nora had been eating her pancakes when she told Ruby about their awesome team meeting that they were going to have. Ruby decided that her team should do the same. Yang jokingly asked if they should just hold it at the same place and time with team JNPR, as they were next door neighbors. Ruby took it as a suggestion and made the order. Weiss took it up to cancel the first room team JNPR had and reserved an even bigger room with catering for them all. Of course, secretly, team RWBY did not want Pyrrha to be alone with Jaune so easily, but that was a minor reason. They all just wanted to get to know Jaune better. That was what they told themselves.**

Ruby blushed and poked her two index fingers together while looking away from everyone. Yang and Jaune chuckled while the other half of team Ruby just smiled.

 **Jaune did not look forward to telling them about his past and how he needed several mates. Not only that, but he had to call Dew to tell her about that too.**

 **"** ** _Better to get this over with and let them know sooner than to find out later in the future,"_** **said Aryz encouragingly,** ** _"That way, they can make their decision sooner, and you won't have to worry about finding another person to mark."_**

 **"** ** _I doubt they'll say no. Weiss might be hesitant, but in time she'll agree,"_** **said Alaerth.**

 **"** ** _Mmm and you can go to team RWBY's room and-"_** **started Othim, but was automatically shut up by Andusk, Fafnir, and Lung Wang.**

Ruby squeaked as her whole face blushed red as her cloak. Yang blushed as well and cracked her knuckles while mumbling something about a rug. Weiss felt so embarrassed partly because she had to read that aloud. Blake wasn't exempt from the blush as well while introducing her face to her palm.

 **'I don't even want to know what Othim was thinking, but I probably already know,' Jaune thought.**

 **Team RWBY and team JNPR actually had a fun time going around Vale, purchasing any items they needed. Ren bought more ingredients for pancakes and cookies (requested from Ruby),**

"Thank you, Ren!" Ruby said in a cheery tone. The ninja nodded in acknowledgment.

 **Nora bought some more explosives, and Yang bought some new clothes. Blake was checking out some new books while Ruby was going over a weapons magazine and Weiss was checking out some of the latest articles about Dust. Jaune went to buy some Dust along with Pyrrha. Soon, night came upon them, and they were all inside a private room rented out by Weiss. After eating (all fish-related food went to Blake), they gathered around in a circle.**

"You know it's pretty obvious that you're a cat Faunus when you think about it," Trevor spoke. Blake looked away and realized she didn't do a good job of hiding who she was but at least it hid her from most of the populace.

 **"Let the team introduction of team RWBY and JNPR commence!" announced Ruby. Blake looked very uncomfortable at this.**

 **"What's wrong?" whispered Jaune to Blake as he sat down next to her.**

 **"My team. They don't know I'm a Faunus, and I'm scared to reveal it as well as my connection to the White Fang," whimpered Blake, "Not to mention I'm teamed up with a Schnee, who hates them."**

 **Jaune winced a little, remembering that Weiss had been a victim at an assassination attempt from the White Fang.**

"I'm just glad my fears about you all were unfounded in the end and I'm ashamed of what the White Fang had become," Blake said. Downtrodden because of how the White Fang sees all humans.

 **"Don't worry," whispered Jaune, "Ruby and Yang aren't racist, and I'm sure Weiss isn't either. You can tell them about your connection with the White Fang on your own time. Remember, I was there, so I can back you up when you decide to tell them."**

 **Blake nodded before putting her head on his left shoulder as if trying to draw some strength from him. She also enjoyed his scent and warmth as she laid her head there, almost purring in delight. This was the boy that her parents approved of, and it was very hard for his father to approve of anyone. Her mother was a little easier to convince. It was weird, though. She didn't expect to fall for Jaune so fast.**

Blake blushed. _I can contribute that to the catnip._ She thought. That was _really_ embarrassing for her.

 **It had only been months since she broke up with Adam and the White Fang, but her relationship with Adam had been declining ever since he took leadership of the Vale branch of the White Fang. She could technically argue that their relationship ended a few months after his leadership and that the train was just to finalize it. Jaune, on the other hand, was kind, strong, generous, and already approved of by her parents. Being able to fly in the air with Jaune was also a nice dream that she would have quite often, although most of the time they ended with both of them doing the tango in a bed. She blamed her books for giving her those ideas, but she couldn't say she hated it.**

While Jaune and Blake were blushing along with Pyrrha and Weiss; Ruby wondered how you can do the tango in bed. _How can they dance at all? Maybe they're standing on the mattress?_

 **Suddenly, Jaune felt someone latching on to his right arm. He looked to see Pyrrha with a jealous gaze at Blake. Whether or not she was doing it on purpose, Pyrrha's breast had entrapped his arm, letting him feel just how soft and firm it was. Blake felt the disturbance and glanced over to see Pyrrha. At this point, Ren could see sparks flying in between both girls eyes as they cuddled against Jaune.**

It was funny for Yang because the TV showed the showdown from Ren's perspective and they could actually see the sparks. Pyrrha and Blake felt very embarrassed about the situation.

 **Nora was too busy grabbing more dessert. The rest of the girls found themselves to be jealous of each girl's position.**

 **"I think we should get this started," coughed Weiss, "I'll go first. You all know I'm Weiss Schnee, heiress to the SDC. Myrtenaster is the name of my weapon and my Semblance is Glyph." After that, she gave a few other facts about herself while showing her weapon.**

 **After that, Ruby followed her example, followed by Yang and Pyrrha.**

"You like chocolate, Pyrrha?" Yang asked.

"A little too much in my opinion," Jaune answered before Pyrrha could, who huffed and turned away.

"It's not my fault your chocolate cake is so good." She muttered.

 **Ren sighed as he went next, "Lie Ren. Stormflowers are the name of my weapons. As for my Semblance, it's the ability to hide my presence from Grimm. Anyone touching me will also be hidden, or I can channel it to other people via ground."**

 **"That's a useful ability," said Jaune, "But is that it? Can it also hide from people, too?"**

 **Ren shrugged, "Haven't really tested that out. I know that when I activate it, everything becomes grayed out like no color exists. I was busy practicing my Aura control when I was younger, as hiding from Grimm isn't exactly the best way to fight Grimm."**

Ironwood was impressed that the boy had such an ability.

"Before anyone asks, yes that is my semblance," Ren stated.

 **Jaune made a mental note to test out Ren's ability later on. Ren ended his introduction, as he didn't want to go into his past. The pain of losing his whole family and village was too painful, but he swore to tell Jaune about it someday in private.**

 **Nora quickly introduced herself in a happy tone right after Ren, though she also skipped her past. Soon, everyone was staring at Blake to go next. She gulped and almost ran away when Jaune quickly grabbed her hand, rubbing it gently. Blake sighed as she drew courage from it.**

 **"Blake Belladonna. Gambol Shrouds is my weapons name. Semblance is Shadows. And... I'm a Faunus."**

 **At this, she took off the ribbon on her head to reveal her cat ears. Everyone was silent as this news. Then Nora and Ruby crowded around her, wanting to touch her cat ears and playing with it.**

"Honestly their reaction was the last thing I was expecting." Blake deadpanned.

 **"It's so cute!" said Ruby, petting one of her ears.**

 **"Why would you hide it?" asked Nora as she pets the other one. Blake had to resist purring in content before shaking them off and telling them to stop playing with them.**

 **"It's because she was afraid she would be discriminated," said Ren.**

 **"Why? None of us would do that," said Yang. Ren tilted his head at Weiss and Yang understood immediately why her partner was hesitant.**

 **Weiss was a bit torn. Sure, she didn't like Faunus that much, but that was mainly because of the White Fang, and how they made her life a bit miserable; Family and friends, gone because of them. Cargo lost due to their interference, and Jacques taking it out on them indirectly. Still, thanks to Winter and Jaune, she didn't have as much of a grudge as she did before now.**

"While I understand what they're trying to accomplish, that doesn't excuse their actions and the destruction they've wrought," Winter stated in a cold tone. Blake sighed because she knew the Schnee was right.

 **"You were afraid because I'm a Schnee, weren't you," said Weiss. Blake nodded in reply.**

 **Weiss sighed, "I'm not my father. I have no grudges against the Faunus race as a whole, just the White Fang."**

 **She saw Blake twitch, and her suspicions grew. Still, she didn't want to put her in the spotlight just yet. Blake was a huntress now, and obviously, Ozpin wouldn't have had let criminals in. Blake would tell them when she was ready.**

 **Seeing as he was the last one, Jaune introduced himself. He went over his weapon and shield, causing Ruby to drool a bit over it. When he mentioned what the materials were used to craft it, she begged to let her hold it. Unable to resist the puppy look, he let her look over it.**

 **He discretely checked to see if anybody else was eavesdropping before dropping his next bomb.**

 **"I need you guys to all to make sure what I'm about to say next never leave this room," said Jaune seriously. Nora was about to ask why when Ren silenced her with a pancake to her mouth and give her the look. Nora knew it was serious and became silent.**

 **"Ren already knows what my Semblance is due to circumstances," started Jaune, "But nobody else knows about it. Not even Ozpin."**

 **"You mean growing wings?" asked Blake.**

 **"Wait, wings?" asked Weiss, "I heard about how some angel came swooping down and saving innocent civilians from the White Fang that invaded a train carrying Dust from the SDC. That was you?"**

 **"You can fly?" shouted Nora, "Show me! I wanna go flying!"**

 **Jaune sighed as he continued, "That's only a part of it. My real Semblance is the ability to form contracts with dragons. And they are all always in contact with me, in my head."**

 **Everyone was silent at this revelation for a bit.**

 **"Haha, good one, Jaune," said Yang weakly, "Dragons? You mean those big fake lizards with wings in fairy tales?"**

 **"** ** _Fake Lizards!?"_** **roared Lung Wang,** _ **"I'll show you fake!"**_

 _Yang scrunched in on herself. She considered herself lucky the dragons weren't here._

 **Jaune sighed and stood up, linking up with Lung Wang and spreading his red scaled wings for all of them to see. Yang immediately paled at the sight of this.**

 **"Red scale wings? You had green feathered wings last time," said Blake.**

 **"That's because of my contract with another dragon. I have seven in total," explained Jaune.**

 **"Seven?" asked Ren faintly. Jaune nodded in reply before adding dragon kings**

 **"Ren, what's wrong?" asked Nora in concern as Ren sunk into his chair in shock.**

 **"Nora. I never told you this, but my family is one of the few surviving members that still remember the Dragon Clan. They aided us before, and in return, we gave them our loyalty. The reason I knew Jaune had something to do with dragons is that my family always taught me how to sense them, so that one day we may aid them, just as they aided us in the past," explained Ren. "Jaune, however, is contracted to seven dragon KINGS! I don't know the history of the Dragon Clan that well, but I'm pretty sure there hasn't been anyone with that many contracts to such powerful dragons."**

 **Ruby was busy admiring the Jaune's wing and asking him to give him a ride, followed by Nora and Pyrrha. When Blake slyly mentioned that she wanted to do it again, she got glares from the other girls. Weiss was plotting on how to grab Jaune into the Schnee family. Her father had already approved of him, and all that power could be used to help her lead her family back to a better path. She wasn't ignorant of all the bad reputation around the SDC, and when she privately investigated those claims, she was slightly horrified at the truth. Still, there was nothing she could do until she inherited the company. With Jaune at her side, it would be so much easier! Not to mention he could handle her bratty younger brother Whitley.**

Weiss shuddered. "I've had nightmares about the things I saw." Ruby and Nora didn't want to know. Yang cringed a little, for Weiss to have nightmares it must've been bad.

 **"Jaune, a quick question?" said Ren. "It's about the conditions of the contracts; Permission to ask about it?"**

 **Jaune sighed and nodded; might as well get it over with.**

 **Everyone was looking at Ren when he dropped the bomb, "Does that mean you'll need several** **mates** **due to these contracts?"**

 **Everyone looked back at Jaune, who sat down on his chair and sighed, "Yes. Part of the deal was to find a mate for each respective contract. That means potentially seven wives/mates."**

 **The girls except Nora looked at each other before back to Jaune, then back to each other. Weiss was feeling conflicted. Sure, dating Jaune and getting to know him would be fine, but to have him dating several others? That would put a strain on the Schnee name, and the paparazzi would have a payday if they found out she was one of several girls dating one guy. That and she wasn't sure she wanted to be part of a harem, even if it was justified.**

"Oh god, father," Weiss said; horrified at what her father might think if he was seeing this right now; he finds out and she'll never be able to even go to the bathroom without several guards escorting her. Weiss might be over thinking it but she doesn't want to take that risk.

 **Yang was unsure. Sure she may like Jaune, but to have him dating others, and her being one of several potential wives? She could do better than Jaune... no, she couldn't. Jaune was just too unique, and any other boys just paled in comparison. She had to put her head down to think if she was even willing to do so. Could she find somebody else that would worship her and her body alone just as she would do the same? The answer was surprisingly hard, and the list of potential good boyfriends only had one name on the list, and it was Jaune.**

Yang's cheeks burned red and admitted. "You're still the only one on that list, Jaune. Finding the right guy is really hard for when they're all after me for my body." Qrow's eyes narrowed but knew he didn't have to threaten the Arc boy no matter what; an Arc always keeps a promise.

 **Ruby was confused but happy. Now Jaune had a reason to have her and Yang together! Sure, others would be there, but that just meant more sisters!**

Ruby gave a toothy smile and shot over to Jaune via her semblance. The blond knight gave an 'oof!' when Ruby impacted with him and latched onto his right side. With Pyrrha on his left, the boy was sandwiched between two of Beacon's hottest girls. Ruby only smiled brightly while Pyrrha sighed and smiled as well.

 **Blake was undecided. She was sure that when her parents gave their approval, they didn't know Jaune had to form a harem. Then, her mind drifted to a scene of one of her more explicit books, recreating a scene where the protagonist was about to make love with his princess when his childhood friend burst in the room to confess that she couldn't stand hiding her feelings anymore. After much argument, they ended up doing a threesome. This time, she was replacing the scene with her, Jaune, and Pyrrha, and was starting to get a bloody nose.**

Blake groaned when Weiss read that part. _I think I should start cutting back._ She thought if her mind kept going to the gutter this often then she's not how much more she can take before jumping Jaune, though she might be going a bit too far.

 **She shook her head to clear the image from her mind to focus more on the problem right now. Society would surely frown on such a thing, and not only that, it would be a Faunus with a human; something that both humans and Faunus frowned upon, even if they could reproduce together.**

"Why are people so stupid?" Jaune asked annoyance covered his voice. "Why can people let love be love? The Grimm are bad enough as is, we can't be worrying about relationships."

"On that, I agree with, Mr. Arc," Ozpin added. "It seems no matter what, people will usually take thing at face value and never look deeper."

"Even geniuses can be stupid," Trevor added his two cents. Ozpin, Glynda, Winter, and Ironwood nodded in agreement.

 **Nora was just laughing at it the scene seemed to be a portrayal of a love comedy skit.**

 **For Pyrrha, she thought about it for a little. Would she find somebody else better than Jaune and have him to her only? She answered her own question easily. That and they were technically married already in some cultures. If Jaune needed a harem, then she wouldn't complain, as long as she had Jaune.**

Jaune blushed at Pyrrha's thoughts but he had to ask. "You really ok with it, Pyrrha?"

The Spartan cupped his cheek and answered. "Does this answer your question?" She then mashed her lips against his. Ruby puffed her cheeks in jealousy as she glared at Pyrrha. Seeing as they weren't going to separate anytime soon; Weiss continued reading.

 **Pyrrha decided to act first, jumping onto Jaune's lap and kissing him on the lips. Jaune was surprised at the ferocity of the kiss, as her tongue shot it to make contact with his, but was soon enjoying himself.**

Ren looked away from the screen and the kissing couple. Ironwood as well as he was feeling he was invading their privacy. Glynda sighed, wishing she had someone to love but her duties as headmistress of Beacon came first. Winter was reminded that she spent most of her time in the military and needed to get out more.

 **Blake gave a cough, but they weren't separating. Another cough, this time louder, and a kick to their chair, finally made them separate.**

 **Weiss and Ruby were blushing while Yang was laughing, and yet also jealous. Blake seemed to keep a stoic attitude, although inside, she wanted to try kissing Jaune.**

The Faunus blushed and looked away. Yang was tempted to kiss the blond knight as well. Pyrrha and Jaune finally separated for air.

 **"Easy, there, Pyrrha," said Jaune, clearing up his mind, "I was actually just going to suggest dating for a bit to see if you guys were comfortable with me dating several others."**

 **"** ** _Aww, why'd you stop? Just take her to a private room right now!"_** **shouted Othim.**

Weiss groaned because that was the more embarrassing things she's had to read so far.

 **"I'm in," said Pyrrha. Sure, explaining to her parents was going to be awkward, but she was willing to give this a try.**

 **"Me, too! I was going to suggest sharing you with Yang," piped Ruby.**

 **"Ruby! Where did you learn that!" shouted Yang, "And why were you thinking of doing that?" Yang was mortified that Ruby had such thoughts. She had done her hardest to keep Ruby innocent from such subjects.**

"I know about the birds and bees, Yang." Ruby piped, much to Yang's horror. "Jaune told me about it though a part of me wished I didn't find out."

"You told her, Jaune?!" Yang shouted in rage, her eyes going crimson.

"S-s-she cornered me! A-and she used the puppy eyes on me!" Jaune stuttered out. Yang managed to calm down but was going to talk to Ruby about this later. Qrow rubbed his eyes because of Ruby finding out but he can't blame the kid; the puppy eyes were Ruby's ultimate weapon.

 **"Dad had two wives. Why can't Jaune?" asked Ruby, "Plus, I didn't want to fight you to get Jaune. Now we don't have to!"**

 **Yang could only facepalm at this logic. True, their father had two wives, but that was because he had divorced Raven before marrying Summer. She couldn't disagree with Ruby's reasoning, though. She was willing to give up chasing Jaune if Ruby was going after him, but with this revelation, they could apparently both have him. Still, she was going have to explain to Ruby about Taiyang's situation but then decided Taiyang could have the job of doing that. It was his fault anyway.**

"Dad seems to be at fault for a lot of things, huh Yang?" Ruby stated. The blond brawler could only nod in agreement.

 **"I... need to think about it," said Weiss slowly. She didn't want to be part of a harem, but if she really couldn't find a better guy, she might consider joining.**

 **Yang and Blake both also agreed, saying they would need time to think about it. Ruby was about to accept it, but Yang told her not to be so hasty.**

Jaune blushed mainly because the girls were considering but he kind of doubted the ones from his world. Unknown to him, Yang was starting to find the idea ok while Blake and Weiss were still against it but were slowly coming around. Ruby was ok from the idea from the beginning and Pyrrha was alright with it as long as they genuinely loved Jaune.

 **"So two more girls are needed for you if they do decide to join?" asked Nora. She had zero interest in joining, as she had Ren.**

 **"One, and I already have someone in mind," corrected Jaune, "If I mark Pyrrha, she's able to contain two dragon marks. Not sure why, but they think it's because when she unlocked my Aura a few years, some of it went into her."**

 **"That's why I felt my Aura growing much stronger than usual," murmured Pyrrha while Jaune was explaining what a Mate mark was, and how he wanted to try dating first to see if he and the girls felt comfortable with it. Once given, it could not be taken off. Also, they had 72 hours to consummate after marking, otherwise it would disappear, and the same girl can never be marked ever again, even with a different dragon.**

Quite a few were surprised at the requirement to become a dragon mate. "That's some commitment."

 **"She unlocked your Aura?" asked Ren after Jaune's explanation, more interested in the fact that Pyrrha had been the one to do so. Jaune nodded, and Ren continued off, "Does that mean you two are technically married?"**

 **"What!?" shouted all the girls. Pyrrha and Jaune blushed in embarrassment before explaining what happened between them.**

 **After the explanation, Pyrrha turned to Jaune, "Are you finally going to tell us more about your past?"**

 **At this, everybody perked up, wanting to know. Out of all of them, only Pyrrha was more knowledgeable about Jaune's past: of how he had been sealed, of how he had been abandoned. Still, she wanted to find out just who was it. She already had plans to use her fame to strike at that family. Jaune, however, started to have trouble breathing.**

 **'What if they all choose to reject me?' thought Jaune, 'I can't bear the fact they might look at me in disgust. Pyrrha might look away from me if she finds out I was an Arc.'**

 **The Arcs had quite a bit of political and financial pull in some places. Jaune was terrified that with that, they could give an ultimatum against all her girls, and they would agree that Jaune wasn't worth it.**

"I don't it would be a good time because Mr. Ryu-Long is clearly panicking" Glynda stated.

"Girls," Ruby spoke up. "If Vlad tries that kind of thing then. . ." She then held her daggers, a dangerous look in her eye. "Let's show him why that's a **very** bad idea." Yang twirled her axe in response, Pyrrha grabbed her weapons and checked to see if they functioned and was loaded, Weiss flipped her hair backed and had a small smile on with her eyes narrowed. Blake rolled her neck and wondered what the best way to strike first was.

Jaune was slightly concerned but didn't see a reason why to stop them. Qrow messed with the handle of his weapon. Ironwood thought of how to best diffuse the situation but decided to just stay out of it. Ozpin slightly shook his head and hoped they didn't go overboard.

 **Ren quickly noticed it and stomped his foot loudly, causing everyone, including Jaune, to leap up.**

 **"I think that's enough for today," said Ren, "Clearly, Jaune isn't ready to reveal his past yet. Nor have any of us even shared much of our own. When the time is right, Jaune will tell us. We just have to be patient."**

 **The girls started to whine, but Ren put a halt to it, "If you didn't notice, Jaune was starting to have trouble breathing. I want him to be comfortable about sharing his past, not panicking. Plus, it's getting late. We should head back to Beacon."**

 **Seeing his point, they all agreed. As they left, Jaune and Ren were the only ones left.**

 **"Thanks, partner," said Jaune.**

Jaune sighed and said. "What would I do without you, Ren?"

"Mostly likely eaten alive by the girls." Ren snarked with a smirk. This earned a 'Hey!' from all of Team RWBY and the two guys' partners. Nora threw a few mock-punches at Ren's shoulders thought that didn't wipe the smile off of Ren's face.

 **Ren merely smiled, "Merely doing my duty. However, know this Jaune. I do not care about your past, merely your present and future. What happened in the past will not stop me from being your retainer of the Dragon Clan."**

 **Jaune started to protest, but Ren raised his hand, "I know, your command was to act as your friend, but I will do both. I wish to act as your retainer and your friend who advises you."**

 **Jaune smiled; happy he had a friend who would most likely become his brother in all but blood.**

"Seriously, Ren, You are like the brother I never had," Jaune spoke gratefully to have a guy on the same team.

"Same to you, Jaune." Ren retorted. Glad to have at least one male friend.

 **As they walked out, in Jaune's mind, Lung Wang started to speak.**

 **"** ** _Lie Ren. Clearly a worthy retainer for the Dragon Clan. And since Nora will most likely follow him, she'll also become another retainer."_**

 **"** ** _A shame she's already claimed, even if you already have Pyrrha to us my mark on,"_** **commented Alaerth,** _ **"Her Semblance, Lightning Rod, would be a perfect match for me. However, this doesn't mean we can't do anything about that."**_

 **'I'm not stealing her from Ren,' Jaune mentally said.**

Nora's face turned a deep shade of red as she looked away. Ren looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

 **"** ** _She means another mark, not the mate one,"_** **explained Ryo-Wo,** _ **"While you do need a Mate Mark for each of us, there is another mark that you can provide. I didn't think that there would be anybody who still served the Dragon Clan, but if someone is found worthy to be part of the Dragon Clan but is not part of the family, then they are given a Dragon's Mark. The difference between the two marks is that one is permanent, while the other can be stripped off the person if you feel like the retainer is unworthy of it any longer. Both marks give a good boost to a person's Aura, and sometimes Semblance or Skill. It's a bit random how it affects a person, and everyone is different."**_

 **'Is there a limit to this?' asked Jaune.**

 **"** ** _Yes. Same as the Mate Mark, you can only give one Dragon Mark per Dragon. Although for Dragon's mark, it's a little more flexible as you can give one person all 7 marks. However, it will never match to a Mate Mark in terms of boost, even with all 7,"_** **said Fafnir.**

Ozpin hummed as he thought back all those years ago. Ren smiled because of what an honor he's going to get. Nora bounced in place and wondered what kind of boost she's going to get.

 **"** ** _Plus, it would be better to spread it out,"_** **said Andusk,** ** _"But just a reminder, the Dragon's Mark is optional. It isn't like the Mate Mark, where it is required."_**

 **Jaune gave it some thought and decided to bring it up with Ren on a later date. Right now, he had to plan out how he could be potentially dating 5 of the hottest (in his opinion and a majority of students) 1st-year girls in Beacon. For now, Pyrrha was the only one who was his girlfriend.**

Ruby blushed because of being one of the hottest in Beacon. Yang smirked and spoke. "Oh Yeah! Bet I'm number one!" Blake was indifferent. Weiss huffed but couldn't stop the blush from forming.

Pyrrha got up and walked over to Weiss. The champion extended a hand and asked. "May I?"

The heiress nodded while saying "You may." And handed the book over to Pyrrha. The redhead sat back down next to Jaune and opened the book.


	12. Chapter 11

*****Slam!* Trevor stumbles through the door, looking like he battled hell while talking on the phone. He flops down on to the couch and speaks to you.**** ** **"I have done battle against the two most diabolical and evil enemies I have ever faced. Boardom and sleep. Boardom as in I could not focus at all on the story and I kept staying up all night so I slept far longer than necessary during the day. I finally managed to finish this chapter. Enjoy." Trevor then tried to get up only to fall off the couch****

 **"** ** **ow"****

 **[Hr]**

Trevor snapped his fingers before Pyrrha could start. "I knew I was forgetting something," Trevor said, grabbing everyone's attention. "Yang, come with me. I need to have a talk with you." The blond wondered what he wants to talk about as she got up and walked with Trevor. The others were curious as well but didn't pry.

After some walking down the metal hallway, Trevor stopped and turned around to face Yang and said: "You need to cut your hair."

Yang instantly went into a rage. "Like hell I will!" She shouted and threw a right hook at the god. Most people would think it's a bad idea to hit a god but Yang isn't in the right state of mind. Faster then the blond could see, one of Trevor's hands shot up to meet her fist. Her fist collided against his hand with a resounding boom. A few seconds later and Yang was cradling her broken hand, tears streaming down her face, anime style. _Felt like I hit a steel fortress!_ She thought.

Before she could recover, Trevor cupped her broken hand in his and muttered something in what sounded like a foreign language. A green light engulfed their hands and all the pain Yang felt was gone. She saw her hand was perfectly fine like she never hit him at all.

"How did you do that?" Yang questioned. Trevor simply raised an eyebrow. "Right, god. Anyway, why should I cut my hair?"

The god responded with "Because it's a liability in smart opponent could use that to yank you back or your hair could get caught on something. The fact that you fly into a rage and pummel whatever catch even a few loose strands of hair, be it friend or foe, doesn't help at all."

"But-"

"I've also seen that same hairdo cost a life." Trevor finished grimly. That made Yang pause and was afraid to ask. The god spoke, "More often than not, that style of hair cost you your life, or worse one of your friends, an innocent or even your sister's life." Yang was horrified at the thought, _all because I grew my hair out?_ She thought.

Seeing as that got her thinking, Trevor continued. "Besides, do you really want to look so much like your mother? You've seen how she acts; she only cares about being the strongest and doesn't care for anyone else at all. Do you really want to be connected to her?"

Yang scrunched her eyes shut but tears leaked out anyways. The blonde opened them and asked, "Where's the bathroom?" The god pointed to his left to reveal they stopped near one. Yang blinked the tears away in surprise. When she looked back, she saw him holding a pair of barber-grades scissors out to her. Yang gave a thank you and entered the restroom.

Trevor waited a few minutes so to make sure Yang doesn't take too long. When the door opened she saw her hair was much shorter now. "Let's head back now, I'm sure the others are anxious to get started," Yang said nothing and merely nodded.

Several people were having conversations when Trevor and Yang finally returned. When they turned to greet them, those that knew how protective Yang was of her hair were stunned at what they were seeing, none more so then Qrow and Ruby.

Instead of Yang's hair reaching down to her rear; it was tied into a ponytail, said ponytail was short enough to look like a wolf tail. Yang couldn't stop the smirk forming on her face at seeing her family's reactions; she couldn't help but imagine her sister's jaw leaving a dent in the floor, and she hoped her uncle wasn't going to have a heart attack or something. Her favorite reaction was Jaune's, his cheeks were a dark shade of red and he quickly turned away when he realized she knew he was staring. She nodded to Pyrrha as she sat back down on her spot. The Spartan took this as a sign to start reading.

 **Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Cardin's Threats**

Jaune softly groaned, soft enough only Blake, Pyrrha, and Ruby heard because the former thanks to her heritage and the latter two because they were right next to him.

 **"Raaahh!" *Whiff***

 **Cardin was swinging his mace, trying to land a hit on his opponent, who was Jaune, and missing.**

 **It had been two months since that meeting, and team RWBY and JNPR were adjusting well into their new lives at Beacon. Due to the fact that RWBY was all interested in Jaune, the two teams ended up bonding close together. They even managed to create moves where it involved different members of each team. They sparred with each other, trained, and ate together. Soon, most of Beacon was calling them the strongest 1st-year teams, as well as the team with the hottest girls and guys.**

"huh?" Jaune questioned as Ren's eyebrow rose. He liked to think he looked good but the whole female population thinks he and Ren are the hottest guys in school? The girls felt anger rise within them.

 **Ren and Jaune were surprisingly popular, but any potential girls wanting to ask them were chased off by a Nora wielding her hammer. However, the crowd didn't know that all the girls with exception to Nora were all privately dating Jaune. The first to agree to be part of the harem after Pyrrha and a month after was Ruby. She had never really been against it from the start. Yang followed suit a week later, saying that she really couldn't think of anyone that was as good as Jaune. Blake followed after a few days later after Yang. Weiss was the last one to join just a few days ago, although she was still very hesitant. Compared to the other girls, she stayed a bit further and more cautious. If the student population knew, jealousy would be rampant, calling Jaune 'that lucky bastard.' So to make sure he wasn't the target of the entire student's jealousy, they hid their relationship from everyone.**

"It's for the best," Glynda stated. She knew the beacon rumor mill could really grind someone back when she was a student although some of the rumors she heard were pretty on point.

 **"Stand still!" shouted Cardin, slamming his mace into the ground where Jaune once stood. Jaune had just taken two steps left, not even attacking.**

 **Cardin was angry and jealous. He had it all planned out. He would be the strongest in Beacon, with the best team, and lead people to victory. Human girls would flock towards him. The Faunus he could care less. After he graduated, he would become the leader of the people, and even ascend to having a spot on the Vale council.**

Quite a few blanched at Cardin's plans. "Him in the council will just worsen things for everyone, especially for Faunus," Blake commented. Glynda and Ozpin knew of Cardin's racism, the boy's father had hoped Beacon would straighten that attitude.

 **However, with the appearance of team JNPR and RWBY, his team was relegated as third at best in all the freshmen teams. His name and his team were barely remembered by other students in Beacon! It was always JNPR or RWBY! This didn't suit him well, and he had to prove he was stronger and a better leader than Jaune or Ruby; especially Jaune. Ruby was still young, and he didn't really want to hit a girl with a hot sister. So when the chance for an exhibition match came up with him fighting Jaune, he went all out.**

Yang blew a raspberry. "Neptune has a better chance with me, and he's a huge flirt," Weiss remembered the time she saw her crush flirting with another girl; her heart shattered like glass that moment and later felt really guilty about all the times she rejected Jaune because she thought he was only after her for fame and money.

 **However, to his frustration, none of his swings were hitting. Jaune himself was yawning as he merely dodged all his attacks. One of them Jaune jumped over him when he went for a horizontal swing. Cardin was surprised to see Jaune not land on the floor, but rather on his mace. Before he could react, Jaune decided to end this match and kicked him in the face, using the impact to do a back-flip onto the ground. Stumbling, he swung his mace wildly to deter any attacks. Jaune took this chance to duck under the wild swing and land a devastating right straight into Cardin's face, on his nose. Feeling the pain, Cardin leaped back, using the impact to try to gain some distance so he could recover. He looked up to see the hilt of Jaune's sword flying right into his face again, right into the nose. Jaune had taken the chance after he landed the right hook to twist his body while his left hand was on his sheath and sent** _ **Crocea Mors**_ **flying, hilt first.**

"Ohh. No mercy." Yang commented.

"In most real fights, the enemy will give you no quarter. So why should you?" Trevor stated/asked. The adults knew that meaning all too well.

 **It rebounded on Cardin's face into the air, where Jaune had already jumped up and caught it with his right hand. Not even wasting a second, his left hand was on the hilt and with a two-handed swing, Jaune swung his blade down into Cardin's collarbone. Cardin was too busy trying to soothe his pain to notice Jaune's strike. Even with the armor, Jaune's sword made a dent it.**

 **"That's enough,"**

 **Glynda Goodwitch stepped forward. Jaune jumped back, sheathing his sword while Cardin was busy making sure his face wasn't dented inwards.**

"Pretty sure his face was dented before I started swinging," Jaune commented. Some like Pyrrha and Ren were surprised that Jaune made such a snarky comment. Others like Trevor, Glynda, and again Pyrrha were glad that Jaune was finally growing a backbone.

 **"Students, as you can see, Mr. Winchester's Aura has now dropped into the red. In a tournament-style duel, this would indicate that Cardin is no longer fit for battle and that the official may call the match."**

 **She turned around to the two fighters to advise them, "Mr. Winchester, you need to learn patience and discipline. You got angrier every time you missed, making yourself sloppy and leaving yourself open for Mr. Ryu-Long, who exposed it ruthlessly. Mr. Ryu-Long, no real complaints, just don't showboat too much. You could have ended this match much earlier. Your opponent could take advantage of that and surprise you."**

 **Jaune nodded in respect while Cardin just huffed off with his pride damaged.**

Glynda sighed. She's just trying to help them but most students brush it off as her being nit-picky. Jaune was and still is, her best student because he takes her advice to heart to improve himself.

 **"Nice fight," said Pyrrha with a smile as Jaune rejoined his team.**

 **"Remember, everyone, the Vytal Festival is only a few months away! It won't be long before students from the other kingdoms start arriving in Vale, so keep practicing! Those who choose to compete in the combat tournament will be representing all of Vale!" announced Glynda. RWY was shaking with excitement while Blake merely grinned. Nora was jumping on her seat with glee while JPR were also just grinning.**

Ruby pumped her fists and looked on with determination in her eyes. Ironwood was still disappointed with himself for letting his robotic soldiers be hacked so easily.

 **It was lunchtime, and team RWBY and JNPR were enjoying a story that Nora was narrating, with Ren correcting her statements before explaining that it was a dream that she had been having for a month now. They all politely clapped at the end of her story, with Nora bowing in reply while Ren merely smiled and rubbed her head affectionately. They were finally together-together, thanks to Jaune. He had seen Nora give jealous looks, but they weren't direct towards him or the girls. Instead, they were directed on how they were on secret dates, and she would keep gazing at Ren as if willing for something to happen.**

Nora blushed a bright red, turned away from Ren, and started babbling denials. Ren facepalmed as he realized how oblivious he was. _God, I was pulling Jaune-level of obliviousness._ He sucked in a breath and turned to Nora. "Nora."

The red-head actually stopped and turned to Ren and asked "Yes?" In a surprisingly quiet tone of voice for the ginger-bomber.

Ren was honestly at a lost on what to do now, words weren't his specialty, so he did the only thing he could think of. "Boop." He said as he tapped Nora on the nose. His partner just stared at him with wide eyes for what felt like forever. The ninja was quickly tackled into a lip-lock with her, both falling back with Ren's head hitting the armrest. He didn't care he had a migraine from that, the world could be ending for all he cared and it would still be the best day of his life.

Everyone in the audience turned away though a few had to be forced. When the two finally separated, Nora had the dopiest smile on her face and looked to be in a daze. Ren had no trouble setting the girl back to her spot on the couch. He nodded towards Trevor when some aspirin and a cup of water appeared before him.

 **Jaune figured it out pretty easily and basically had to order Ren to tell him if he liked Nora. Ren said yes but replied that Nora had always been shy in admitting her feelings, while he had no qualms in admitting it. He didn't want to put Nora on the spot and make her uncomfortable. So the second order to Ren was to take Nora on a private date. Nora was so shocked when Ren asked her on a date that Ren had to boop her in the nose to wake her up. She went running into the Emerald Forest after that and decimating the Grimm population in celebration. Beowolves learned to fear the mighty hammer that day. There were no survivors when Nora saw them. Ren merely waited at the outskirts with her favorite food, pancakes, until she was done getting it out of her system before taking her out on a date. Nora was again in a daze after that but was happy to give a proper response. When she asked if they were together-together, his reply was, "Weren't we always?" with a smile and a small boop on her nose. Nora almost fainted after that smile.**

When several people turned to the two, they saw Nora's head leaning against Ren using his shoulder as a pillow. She hummed in contentment with her eyes shut. Ren had a small smile on his face while looking at Nora.

 **Suddenly, they heard mocking laughter in the background. They turned to see team CRDL teasing a Faunus with bunny ears. Jaune took a closer look and noticed it was Velvet Scarlatina, the 2nd year student that he had met before attending Beacon. She had been kind to help him and advise him every now and then about Beacon. She looked like she was in pain, and yet wasn't doing anything about the teasing.**

Glynda and Ozpin shook their heads in disappointment; they understood why she wasn't doing anything but doing nothing is is just as bad if not worse in those types of situations.

 **Jaune sighed as he remembered when Cardin tried to pick on him. The first time was when he was carrying a rather heavy book from the library. Cardin swatted it out of his hand, but as it was falling to the ground, Jaune slightly hit it with his knee, causing it to fall onto Cardin's foot. Cardin had to crouch down to sooth his toe while Jaune merely picked up his book and walked away.**

 **The second attempt was when Goodwitch was explaining the lockers and their abilities. Cardin tried to push Jaune into one, but Jaune merely leaned back and tripped Cardin, forcing him to land inside the locker. With another swift movement, Jaune stretched his arm as if he was merely stretching before swinging his hand into the locker door, shutting him inside. With a quick whistle, he pressed 6 random digits and sent Cardin flying away. All while Goodwitch had been distracted.**

Yang laughed at Cardin getting launched from the school. Jaune leaned back, very satisfied about what happened to Cardin.

"You're slipping, Glynda," Qrow commented. "How'd you not notice?" The blond headmistress stayed quiet because she wasn't sure either. The teacher decided to get back to training her senses.

 **The dragons complimented him on his stealth. After that incident, Cardin curbed his tendencies to mere gazes.**

 **Jaune noticed that all his friends were giving Cardin a dark look. They hated racist people like Cardin. They were in a Huntsmen Academy, whose purpose was to defend all those from the Grimm! To protect humanity! And yet here was a Huntsman-in-Training picking on someone. Blake was still wearing her bow, uncomfortable in revealing her heritage to everyone. She promised she would take it off soon.**

A part of Blake wondered if this version of her was actually planning to fulfill that promise.

 **Soon, a yelp of pain could be heard. Cardin was now pulling on Velvet's bunny ears while he and his team were laughing.**

 **"Ow! That hurts!" cried out Velvet. Cardin responded by pulling even harder. "Please, stop..." she begged.**

Pyrrha wanted to stop reading but she knew this was the only way for everyone to get home.

 **Cardin merely continued to laugh while turning to his crew, "I told you it was real!"**

 **Russel guffawed, "What a freak!" Dove and Sky continued to keep laughing.**

Jaune's left eye began to twitch while growling at Cardin on screen. Ruby looked up at his face in worry. "What's wrong, Jaune?"

After a second, he responded, "I have a sister whose a Faunus." Those who really knew him leaned away; you can do many things to Jaune and he'll just get right back up and not care. But you mess with his friends or family, then your only chance is to hide and pray he doesn't find you.

 **Cardin would have originally let go, but he was still angry from his match earlier, and tightened his grip on Velvet's ear, causing her to start to cry. And yet, Velvet wouldn't do anything to stop him.**

 **"** ** _Why doesn't she fight back? She's more than capable of dealing with these punks,"_** **growled Fafnir.**

 **"** ** _It's because of how society views Faunus,"_** **explained Aryz,** _ **"If she responds back in kind, then it puts a bad view on her whole race. Meanwhile, Cardin can continue this and people won't judge the human race as a whole, just him. That, and apparently the Winchester name does carry some influence."**_

 **"** ** _Jaune; remember the creed, though I don't think I need to prompt you on that,"_** **said Lung Wang with a toothy grin.**

A cruel smile spread across Jaune's face at the thought of kicking Cardin's ass.

 **"Atrocious. I can't stand people like him," said Pyrrha darkly.**

 **"He's not the only one..." replied Blake, staring daggers at all of Cardin's friends.**

 **"We should break their legs!" said Nora.**

 **"Nora," said Ren.**

 **"Yes, Ren?" asked Nora.**

 **"No leg breaking, but you can stop them if you want. If they resist... well then some persuasion may be needed," said Ren** **.**

The teachers wished the students would use less violent methods but they are training them to fight monsters. Ozpin has been considering hosting a situation class where the students are quizzed on different scenarios, this might make them not always choose the violent path.

 **Nora grinned and was about to do it when Yang piped up, "Where'd Jaune go?"**

 **They looked to the right of Pyrrha, where he was sitting just moments ago, and were surprised to see him gone.**

 **"Let her go," said a voice darkly.**

 **They turned and saw Jaune now holding Cardin's offending arm.**

 **When Jaune had seen the tears, he had enough. Not to mention he had a slight flashback about the bunny he used to take care of, and Velvet reminded him of his pet. He stood up, walking over to Cardin, debating on how he would diffuse this. Lung Wang was suggesting a full-on assault, crushing Cardin's spirit. Jaune disregarded it as he was still a student and couldn't risk expulsion. Alaerth suggested a more non-violent route. Lifting his right hand, shaping it into the dragon's claw, he clamped his hand down onto Cardin's forearm that was covered in armor.**

 **"Let her go," said Jaune darkly.**

 **"What's it matter to you? You care about this freak?" asked Cardin.**

Jaune growled, he always hated how Cardin treated Faunus. The other students' especially Blake, bristled at the bully's response.

 **"You lack the proper behavior as a Huntsman. We're in a school where we are taught to safeguard mankind's future, and yet you're picking on someone who could easily kick your butt. The only reason she chooses not to is because she's afraid her behavior could reflect badly on her people," replied Jaune.**

 **Velvet looked up in surprise at this, hope slightly in her eyes. She hadn't expected anyone to help her except for her team, and they were at the library.**

 **"Psh. She's not part of mankind. Look at her ears!" said Cardin.**

"What an idiot." Yang mumbled. Glynda wished she could have done something but Ozpin didn't allow her to interfere because, he states, the students can't always rely on us, they need to learn to solve their own problem but that doesn't mean we stop other students from helping.

 **Jaune tightened his grip on Cardin's arm, making it so he couldn't move at all. A look of discomfort could be seen growing on Cardin's face. Everyone in the cafeteria had noticed what was going on and was watching. It was all silent.**

 **"Show some respect. She's still part of mankind and an older student. Just because she has a different trait doesn't mean she deserves to be treated like this," said Jaune.**

 **"You're a freak lover aren't you!?" said Cardin, "Well, I bet one of your parents was a freak! Your mom probably opened her legs for anyone!"**

Jaune's aura flared at that comment. "He's gonna pay for that." He said. A giant man in black armor wearing a three-pointed helmet with a sword as big as him formed behind him. The scariest part about him was his glowing yellow eyes that seem to radiate evil. Everyone was startled by this and jumped back. _When could he do that?!_ They all thought, including the teachers.

Ruby was so scared by that she jumped into her sister's arms. Nora did the same thing with Ren, though she ended up choking him a little. Ironwood decided to try and stay on Jaune's good side. Winter considered herself lucky Weiss has a friend like that.

 **Jaune twitched in anger before and tightening his grip even more at that insult.**

 **"ARRGGHH!" shouted Cardin in pain as he released Velvet.**

 **Jaune had completely crushed through his armor and was now starting to crush his flesh and bone.**

The sound was very satisfying to Jaune's ears. The others would've said something but the giant was a very big deterrent. Pyrrha worried Jaune might be becoming crueler.

 **"Thing is, Cardin, that while Velvet has to worry about the whole social stigma crap, I don't. And I really hate prejudiced people like you!" roared Jaune as he tightened his grip even more. Cardin was on his knees at this point, his other hand trying to pry Jaune's hand off without any success.**

 **As Cardin was trying free his hands, his partners were all staring at Jaune in fear. Jaune was starting to fracture the bones in Cardin's arm when he heard a voice.**

 **"Please stop."**

 **He turned to see Velvet putting her hand on his shoulder. Jaune sighed and let Cardin go, but not before tossing him into the table.**

"He got off easy." The blond knight mumbled as the iron giant finally faded away. Everyone finally relaxed when it fully disappeared. Ren could breathe properly again when Nora loosened her grip. Ruby got out of Yang's lap and sat next to her, she was still shaken up by the armored man. Qrow was impressed the kid could do that.

 **"Don't ever let me see you doing that again, Cardin. Otherwise, it'll be more than just a bruise," growled Jaune. Carding nodded in fear before walking away with his teammates. That fear would later change to anger and vengeance when he was far away from Jaune.**

 **"Thank you," said Velvet as soon as Cardin was gone.**

 **"Don't mention it. But you could have taken care of him by yourself. Don't let the fear of being judged as a representative of Faunus stop you from taking care of yourself. We're in an academy. We need to show that we're willing to defend what is right," replied Jaune.**

Ozpin sighed, that's why he does what he must in order to protect people, but is it the right thing to do? That thought has been in the back of his head for a while and occasionally pops up.

 **Velvet thought about it before bowing in thanks again and walking away.**

 **As Jaune went back to his table, he was met with stares.**

 **"What?" asked Jaune.**

 **"Mmm that was feisty," said Yang with a sultry tone, "You certainly instilled fear into Cardin."**

 **Jaune just shrugged and continued eating. Soon, everyone was back to doing what they were doing, though most people were now wary of Jaune. Some of the girls were starting to notice Jaune a little more, and perhaps were thinking of trying to get a date with him. Pyrrha saw this and frowned. Sometimes she just wanted their relationship to be public, so other girls wouldn't have the idea of trying to steal Jaune away.**

 **They were in Doctor Oobleck's class, where he was lecturing about the Faunus War at his usual hyperspeed, zooming around the classroom and drinking his coffee. Usually, Jaune would have sat with his teammates, but in Oobleck's class, he assigned the seating, separating them all. It just so happened that Cardin was seated right behind him.**

Glynda and Winter looked just as lost as the students on screen. They could never keep up with what he was saying even as adults.

 **"Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively** _ **recent**_ **events! Why the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!" lectured Oobleck, zooming around again before sipping his coffee. "Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?"**

Pyrrha was glad Oobleck on the screen said those lines; she thought her words would just jumble together if she tried to talk at those speeds.

 **A few students slowly raised their hands in response. Velvet raised hers hesitantly after a few people had done so.**

 **"Dreadful, simply dreadful!" admonished Oobleck, "Remember, students, it is** _ **precisely**_ **this kind of ignorance that breeds violence! I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to White Fang! Now, which one of you young scallions can tell me what many theorize to be the turning point in the third year of the War?"**

 **Weiss raised her hand, and Oobleck acknowledged it.**

 **"The battle at Fort Castle!" answered Weiss.**

"Okay, who came with the name Fort Castle? I don't understand." Trevor questioned.

"It was built by Wilhelm Fort in honor of his father, Arnold Fort who was said to be a one-man army," Ozpin answered.

 **"Precisely!," said Oobleck, "** _ **And**_ **, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"**

 **Cardin was getting bored, so he made a paper football and flicked it towards Jaune as petty revenge. Jaune tilted his head before flicking his hand into the paper football, causing it to shoot back and hit Cardin in the face.**

Jaune chuckled, glad to see the bully's tactics aren't working. Though he reminds himself he needs to work hard if he wants to be that good. A few others giggled at Cardin's childish attack backfire so easily.

 **However, Oobleck misconstrued this action as a volunteer to answer.**

 **"Mr. Ryu-Long! Good to see you volunteering the answer! Excellent! What is the answer?"**

 **Jaune shrugged, asking Oobleck to repeat the question. Oobleck frowned but complied.**

 **"The obvious answer would be the Faunus didn't have an incompetent general," smirked Jaune, causing his class to laugh at his answer. It seemed stupid. Oobleck, however, didn't laugh or admonish Jaune.**

 **"Oh? And care to exp** **lain** **why?" asked Oobleck, seemingly interested.**

 **"General Lagune forgot about the advantages of some Faunus traits. Such as night vision. It was already well-known that they had this ability, and yet he tried to ambush them at night, where his forces couldn't see anything while the Faunus had the advantage of picking off his 'massive' forces. Not only that, some of his tactics seemed questionable as a general," replied Jaune.**

That comment got the general thinking about his own strategies.

 **"Correct, Mr. Ryu-Long. Mr. Winchester, would you care to share your thoughts on the subject!?" said Oobleck.**

 **"Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an** _ **animal**_ **than a soldier," sneered Cardin, rubbing the red mark on his forehead.**

Blake glowered at Cardin for that comment. Pyrrha really hated saying these kinds of things but she had to so she kept reading.

 **"You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you, Cardin?" growled Pyrrha as Oobleck shook his head in disappointment. Blake decided to continue Jaune's thoughts.**

 **"As Jaune said, general Lagune was inexperienced and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the general was captured."**

 **She turned around to Cardin, staring at him with distaste "Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as** _ **such**_ **a failure."**

 **Cardin stood up from his seat, fists clenched in anger. Oobleck, however, reprimanded him before telling him to see him after class for additional readings.**

Both Jaune and Blake smiled at seeing Cardin subdued by Oobleck. But they both knew Cardin was going to find some way to get revenge.

 **It was early in the night, and Jaune was sparring with Ren on the roof. Ren had learned CQC from his teachers at combat school as well as being self-taught, but he had never had a master before. Deciding because Ren wanted to be his retainer, Jaune was teaching him the** **Dragon Style** **fighting style as well as a few others. Ren was excited and learned even quicker than when Jaune had first been taught.**

Ren will never admit but he was jealous his other got to learn that style. Only Nora knew he was jealous because she's spent years around him.

 **"Hey Jaune?" asked Ren as he deflected a fist and countered with a low kick, "Can I ask you something personal?"**

 **"What is it?" replied Jaune as he lifted his leg to dodge the kick.**

 **"Why weren't your parents the one to unseal your Aura?" asked Ren. "Why did she have to do it?" Ren was using the vaguest words on purpose.**

 **Jaune paused at that, letting Ren get a punch through his defense into his chest. Seeing as he was distracted, Ren stopped the fight. Together, they leaned on the railing, catching their breath.**

The mood plummeted when they knew the two on screen were going to talk about that man.

 **"My sperm donor," began Jaune, "was a heartless bastard. He saw me as someone unworthy of his last name, and so he sealed my Aura and banished me."**

 **Ren paled at that, "He sealed it? Then how was she able to unseal it? Only he should be able to do so. And did your ex-father not know about, you know, them?"**

 **Jaune shook his head, "No. They came after my father sealed me. When he did, he woke them up in the process. They're the reason why I'm alive today. However, I was still sealed, and couldn't reach all my abilities until that time."**

 **Ren looked deep in thought, "Is that why you're afraid to tell the rest of the girls? That you were banished and looked like a disgrace?" Jaune nodded.**

 **Below them, they didn't notice Cardin was eavesdropping with glee. There was some quality blackmail material! He quickly hurried away to check some records about admissions. Using his family name, he'd be able to pull some strings and take a look at the records.**

Glynda glowered at Cardin because of what he's trying to do. He keeps this up and he will be expelled from Beacon. The good witch will certainly have a stern talk with the bully when they get home. Ozpin decided to look into the bully's activity more thoroughly.

 **However, in doing so, he missed the last parts of the conversation.**

 **Ren put his hand onto Jaune's shoulder, "Jaune. I don't think they would care about that at all. Tell me, out of the weeks we've known them, would they judge you by your past?"**

 **"Yea, but-," stammered Jaune.**

 **"No. You know the truth as well. You're completely imagining it. I won't ask what your last name used to be, just know that they lost a very powerful man, and most importantly, I'll be on your side. Team RWBY, Nora, and Pyrrha will also be on your side," said Ren.**

"I stand by what my other self said, Jaune." Ren spoke. "We'll never leave you." The blond leader smiled when he saw all of them smiling at him.

Though the mood was kind of ruined when Nora spoke up. "Unless you become a big jerky jerk." A few groaned and others face-palmed but everyone was still in a good mood.

 **They stayed silent for a bit when Ren decided to talk about his own past. Jaune learned from Ren of how he used to live to with his family at Kuroyuri. How he was a bit of a coward until that dreadful day. Ren didn't want to explain it, but he just said it resulted in him being an orphan, along with Nora.**

 **Jaune looked down for a bit before looking back up, a confident gleam in his eyes. He knew this had taken courage from Ren to be a bit more open about his own past, and decided to draw upon that courage.**

 **"You're right. Let's get back down. I think I'll tell them a bit more about my past now. Pyrrha knows the most, but I'm willing to divulge more information about my ex-father and some of his family."**

"This isn't gonna be pretty," Qrow muttered. He knew the girls wouldn't be mad at him but he knew tears were going to be shed.

 **Back in team RWBY's dorm, team RWBY and Pyrrha were all talking about who the prospective sixth girl was as well as making a set schedule for date nights with Jaune.**

 **"Think it might be Velvet?" asked Blake, interested in another Faunus joining the harem.**

 **"No, I heard she's interested in someone on her team," said Yang.**

 **"I don't think I'm comfortable with Jaune getting another random girl we don't know," said Ruby.**

 **"I would say my sister might be a prospect, but I would find it weird that my sister and I were dating the same man," said Weiss. She didn't need another pair of sisters in the harem, as Ruby and Yang w** **ere** **enough. That, and she was still uncomfortable about this situation.**

Winter closed her eyes with a blush on her face. Weiss blushed as well and face-palmed. _Did she have to say that?_ They both thought, Yang rubbed her head and decided to talk to Jaune later. Blake started writing in her notebook again, this time she managed to keep it under control.

 **Pyrrha then remembered talking to Jaune while he was at Vacuo, and about how he was staying with someone.**

 **"Wait, I think I know who it is. Jaune once told me he was staying at a girl's house whose name was Dew Gayl. She might the last candidate," said Pyrrha.**

 **Before they could wonder who she was, they heard a knock on their door. They opened it to reveal Jaune, Ren, and Nora. They entered into RWBY's room.**

 **Jaune took a look at team RWBY's** **bunk-beds** **, his eyebrows raised. He was trying to figure out how it even worked or balanced out.**

The adults sweat-dropped when they saw the bunk beds. Glynda managed to gather herself first and said: "You could have asked the staff for bunk-beds; students have requested them before." Ruby chuckled nervously mainly because she was the one to suggest they build them themselves.

 **"Wouldn't it be easier to just buy bunk beds?" asked Jaune, "That seems incredibly unsafe."**

 **"That's what I said," complained Weiss.**

 **"Don't worry about it! It only seems unstable," said Ruby, waving off the dangers of the bed.**

 **"Ooh, we should just pile all the beds in one room and pile our desks and/items in another!" said Nora.**

 **Ren raised his hand to deny it before actually thinking about it. So did the rest of them.**

 **"That actually doesn't sound like a bad idea," admitted Weiss.**

 **"And we get to be closer to Jaune," piped up Yang.**

 **"Maybe we can just order some bunk beds. We could probably fit 4 bunk beds in a room, and leave some space for some stuff," said Jaune.**

 **"Not to mention, we could all study together easily in one room that's not cluttered with beds," added Pyrrha.**

 **"All right, new mission! Move the beds to team JNPR's room while moving the desk to our room!" yelled Ruby.**

"Can we do that? Canwecanwecanwe?" Nora begged Jaune.

The blonde made the calm down gesture. "Alright Nora, but lets see if they want to do it as well." He then looked over to team RWBY to see what they thought.

"Fine with me." Was Yang's answer. Ruby enthusiastically agreed. Blake thought about it for a few moments before agreeing as well. Seeing as she was outvoted again, Weiss reluctantly agreed.

 **"Wait," said Jaune, causing Ruby to freeze just as she was about to dash out. "I have something I have to say. Something I want to tell you all."**

 **As he was about to say it, there was a knock on the door. Annoyed, Yang opened to see Cardin waiting there with a grin.**

"Goddammit," Jaune swore. Cardin had the worst timing. Glares came from the students when he showed up on screen.

 **"What?" said Yang irritability.**

 **"Is Jauney boy there?" said Cardin, looking over Yang's shoulder, "Got something I wanna talk to him about. It's personal."**

 **Shrugging, Jaune stood up, telling them he'd be back. As the door closed, they walked down the hall a bit.**

 **"What is it Cardin?" asked Jaune with a bit of a growl. He was not pleased to be pulled away at such an important time. He was prepared for an ambush but sensed that none of Cardin's team was there with him.**

 **"Now, now, is that any way to talk to your** _ **best friend?**_ **" teased Cardin.**

Only Jaune would have known where this was going because he's used those words before when he blackmailed him before the emerald forest if they weren't informed earlier.

 **"You're anything but that," deadpanned Jaune.**

 **"Who knows. You might change your mind once I** _ **reveal**_ **your secrets," said Cardin with a smirk.**

 **"What are you talking about?" asked Jaune.**

 **"Oh, who knows what those lovely girls your friends with will think of you when they learn that you were banished. A worthless child who has no family. They wouldn't treat you the same, and I'm sure their parents would forbid them from having any close contacts with a loser like you," said Cardin.**

"My family, yes. But I doubt he realizes that." Weiss stated.

"Professor Ozpin. Why is he a student at Beacon?" Ruby asked.

The old professor answered. "I did it on the request of his father and I owed him one. He hoped Cardin spending time at Beacon will give him an attitude adjustment."

 **Jaune remained silent at this. Cardin, thinking he had the upper hand, continued, "I also dug up some of the admission records. Turns out, you never sent any transcripts, and you didn't show up at any testing sites for those that didn't send their transcripts in. Not bad, Jauney boy, managing to hack into the system to enroll you. How would it feel, to be expelled from Beacon? All your friends would see you as just a failure. Of course, I'm willing to keep your secret safe with me, as long as your willing to be there when I need you as a** _ **friend.**_ **I can see us being friends for a long time."**

 **Having finished, Cardin turned and left, "I'll give you some time to think about it."**

 **In Jaune's mind, he was starting to panic. If this information got out, it could drive any chances of friends away! Admission wasn't a problem, but he couldn't bear to see his friends and potential mates look.**

No one could blame Ryu-Long for panicking. Hunters, even those in training scorned people who try to get where they are without having to work for it. People like that often end up quitting because they can't take it anymore from their peers.

 ** _"Jaune. Calm down,"_** **rumbled Ryo-Wo,** ** _"Remember, you were already planning to tell them. Think back to Ren's words. They would accept you regardless of your past."_**

 ** _"The more important thing is this punk is trying to control you,"_** **growled Lung Wang,** ** _"We are dragons! WE DO NOT BOW TO OTHERS!"_**

 ** _Figured he would say that._** **Jaune thought. The students were glad Ryu-Long could always rely on the dragons to help him out, whether he liked it or not. They all knew Jaune has trouble accepting help.**

 **"Hey Cardin, I thought about it," replied Jaune.**

 **Cardin turned around grinning, thinking he had a slave now. One that would obey him. Who knows, maybe he could use him to grab pictures of the hot girls, and maybe more blackmail material on them. Then, they would have no choice but to obey him, and he could have a nice variety to girls to choose from to kiss or lay in bed with.**

The dark knight returned when Pyrrha read that last line and who could blame him? Thankfully it disappeared when Pyrrha read the next line.

 **That was until he saw a foot coming right into his smiling face. Jaune smashed his foot right into his face, sending him flying out of the dorms.**

Yang laughed when that happened on screen. She didn't like the way Cardin and his teammates were leering at Ruby; she could handle it but the blond draws the line at her sister.

 **"Asshole," muttered Jaune. He wondered how Cardin managed to get into the records, but he shrugged. Ozpin had been the one to put him in, as for the secret, half of them already knew it, and he was going to tell them the rest anyways. Still, he was pissed that Cardin had tried to blackmail him. He stormed back into the dorms where all his friends were waiting.**

 **"What's wrong?" demanded Blake as she looked up from her book. She could sense anger rolling off Jaune.**

If it were an anime, then they would see killing intent lines or something like that on screen.

 **"Cardin tried to blackmail me," replied Jaune.**

 **"What!?" shouted Ruby.**

 **"I'll break his legs!" shouted Nora, lifting her weapon.**

 **"Nora," said Ren calmly. Nora looked at him, "Break his arms while you're at it."**

A hopeful look spread across Nora's face before she remembered how Cardin left. While she wasn't happy she didn't see any leg-breaking, she was still happy about Cardin getting kicked out of the dorm, literally.

 **"You got it!" stated Nora, about to rush out.**

 **"No need," replied Jaune, "I sent him out the expressway."**

 **"The expressway?" inquired Yang.**

 **"VIA my foot," deadpanned Jaune.**

 **"Jaune, did you want to tell us something before Cardin came here?" asked Pyrrha in concern.**

 **"Sorry, not today. Not after what Cardin tried to do. I'm heading off to bed," grumbled Jaune, heading back to his team's room. They would do the moving another day.**

Some students sighed. Leave it to Cardin to ruin something.

 **Cardin was flying through the air and landed in front of the fountain, face first.**

 **"That jerk. I'll show him!" grumbled Cardin, dusting himself of** **f** **.**

The students and teachers sweat-dropped when Cardin called Ryu-Long a jerk. "I get the feeling we'll be seeing the definition of the word hypocrite a lot," Blake commented.

 **He picked up his Scroll, ready to tell his father, who happened to be a booster of the school, to tell him to expel Jaune when he received a message from Jaune himself. He looked at the message displayed.**

 _ **Sorry to burst your bubble, but they already know. And they're still friends with me. As for the entrance, Ozpin himself was the one who accepted me. That means whoever you go to expel me won't work. Stay away from me and my friends, or face my wrath! And trust me; you do not want to do that.**_

 **Cardin almost crushed his Scroll at that message. There went his blackmail material. Still, he swore he'd find some way to get vengeance. He started his trek back to the dorms.**

 **Jaune was still pissed off when he went to bed until Pyrrha boldly snuck in to snuggle with him. He couldn't stay mad with her hugging him, and went to sleep with Pyrrha in his arms.**

Both Jaune and Pyrrha blushed at the thought of being in the same bed. They were still getting used to being a couple.

 **Of course, Othim was telling him to go further, but it was swiftly rejected. Needless to say, the other girls were jealous when Pyrrha admitted in sleeping in his bed, and soon enough, with Ozpin's permission, converted Team JNPR's room to be their sleeping quarters while team RWBY's room was their study/relaxing room.**

 **Trying to convince Ozpin to allow them to do so was probably one of the hardest tasks they undertook. When he asked why they couldn't really be forthcoming about their true reasons. After all, they didn't want to just flat out tell their Headmaster that they wanted the chance to snuggle with Jaune at night.**

Ruby blushed red underneath her hood after she pulled it up. The rest of the girls blushed as well in varying degrees.

 **In the end, Ozpin allowed them after they promised they wouldn't be noisy, have illegal activities and pay for their own modifications of beds.**

"The same applies to you all if you're really going through with his decision," Ozpin said to the students.

 **Of course, team RWBY still took their showers at their room. There were also comfortable bean bags and futons just in case. In JNPR's room, there were two bunk beds, a full-size bed, and two Queen sized beds. Nora and Ren would be sleeping with each other, taking one of the Queen sized bed. Pyrrha claimed the solo full-size bed. Then, the girls set a schedule where they would sleep in Jaune's bed once a week, just to cuddle. Of course, if the said girl wasn't feeling comfortable, then they were allowed to skip. Pyrrha told them that she wasn't going to skip. The other girls were skeptical at first. As the days passed, the girls found themselves a little more comfortable in snuggling with Jaune in bed. The first to do it was Blake, followed by Ruby, then Yang. Weiss would sometimes do it, but more often skipped her turn. Pyrrha wasn't complaining, as she sometimes went ahead and took Weiss's turn; just meant more cuddling time for her.**

Ruby looked down, a blush evident on her face. Yang wondered how it will take before Ryu-Long cracks. Blake began to write n her book again. Weiss tried to keep herself together.

 **About two weeks passed since that incident, and Jaune had finally decided it was time for them to find out about his past than from others. He called them all to team RWBY room, as there was more space to just sit. Jaune took a deep breath before beginning his tale.**

No one said a word but they all agreed tears were going to be shed by that group tonight.

 **"What do you guys know about the Arc family?"**

 **Yang and Ruby shrugged at this, not knowing anything about it. Weiss, however, filled them in.**

 **"The Arc family is a family of warriors. It is said that with their will, they helped Vacuo push back Atlas and Mistral from taking their lands before allying with Vale in the Great War. Their techniques and drive were so famous, that a statue is actually built in front of Beacon. The man in front was John Arc, and the woman beside him was thought to be his wife or partner. It was said that they were always willing to help, showing mercy and kindness; Though recent times seemed to have changed them. My father usually says Vlad Arc is a man full of hot air.** **"**

"Is all of that true?" Pyrrha asked, then quickly added. "except for Vlad."

"Yeah," Jaune answered solemnly, he misses his family a lot. "My dad and grandpa used to tell me stories about my ancestors every night I went to sleep or when I ever wanted to hear one." Jaune let out a chuckle. "Grandpa would go on and on about how great of a warrior I would become if I worked hard enough."

 **Jaune nodded, "** **y** **ea. The Arc family used to be that. Now, it's a cruel family. Vlad is just living off the good name. My old family name."**

 **"What!?" they all exclaimed.**

 **"Before I became Jaune Ryu-Long, I was Jaune Arc. Then, my father sealed my aura and banished me from the family, all because I seemed 'weak' and unable to use the Arc sword style. Of course, it didn't help that Vlad apparently had mistresses and had other 'sons' to choose from. Most recent is Aurelian Arc," Jaune sighed.**

Weiss huffed; Aurelian and Boyd Arc may be skilled huntsmen but they certainly don't deserve the title mainly because of their reasons to become huntsmen. Winter is reminded of her brother every time she hears their name or sees them.

 **"Sealed?" asked Ruby, unfamiliar with this. She looked to Yang, who didn't seem to know. Yang looked at Weiss, who looked at Blake for an answer. None of them seemed to know. Pyrrha, however, knew exactly what it was thanks to her father, as well as being the one to unseal Jaune's aura. Her hands were gripping tightly that her knuckles were turning white.**

 **Ren then explained, "Usually, when we unseal someone's Aura, we give them a form of protection as well as allowing them to use their own Aura. Sealing it, however, can be said to be the worst punishment, given to criminals of the highest order. It forcibly cuts off the person's own Aura from their own body, and usually, the only way to unseal it is to have the same person who sealed you reverse it."**

"That's like dad sealing my aura just because I can't box!" Ruby exclaimed. Yang shuddered, just the thought of that scared her. Weiss thought her father was cruel but to lock your own son's aura is cruelty at it's finest.

 **Ruby's hands went up to her mouth, gasping, "That means!"**

 **"Vlad Arc wanted me dead," finished Jaune, "Luckily, when he sealed me, he touched the dragons sealed within me. They couldn't stop the whole process, but they managed to make it that somebody else could unseal my Aura; though it was picky, as not anyone could do it."**

 **At this, he put his hand over Pyrrha's, grasping it, "Then, I met Pyrrha during my travels around Remnant. She was the one who unsealed it. I owe her my life."**

 **Pyrrha smiled before putting her head on his shoulder, relishing the warmth before replying, "I merely did what any kind person is supposed to do."**

 **The girls were a bit silent after this big reveal. Ren merely stated that it didn't matter what family he was from, that he would continue serving as his retainer. One by one, the girls all came close to Jaune and gave him a hug, stating that they also didn't care about his past. That they wouldn't abandon him just because of what Vlad Arc did. Weiss was even prepared to call her sister to have Atlas prep a ship for priority bombing, but Jaune managed to convince her to stand down, as it didn't matter anymore.**

Weiss blushed when Pyrrha read that last line; she knew Yang just got teasing ammunition for her. Winter shook her head but still had a smile on her face; she was tempted as well.

 **They went back to JNPR, falling asleep in their new dorms. It was Blake's turn to cuddle. As she took off her ribbon and hugged Jaune, she whispered, "Will I be brave enough to tell them about my past?"**

 **Jaune merely stroked her hair, whispering back, "Take your time. It takes a lot of courage to get it out. Ren helped me, and so I'll help you. But only if you're ready."**

Blake gave a nod of thanks toward Jaune though the Faunus was still blushing at the thought of being in the same bed as him.

 **Blake purred softly before falling asleep. As they were all falling asleep, Jaune thought about Dew. She still didn't know any of the things he had told JNPR and RWBY. Still, he could not deny that living with Dew had been very fun, and they had been getting close. Jaune had promised her over the Scroll to tell her when she came for the Vytal Festival. He had to stem a nosebleed when he called her, though, because of what she had been wearing when she answered it.**

 _ **Flashback**_

 **Jaune was sitting in a private room in the library, waiting for his call to go through. Soon enough, Dew picked up.**

 **"Hey Jaune," said Dew.**

 **"Hey D-" Jaune paused there as he took in what Dew was wearing. It looked like she had just gotten out of the shower with just a towel on. The towel only barely covered her breasts and was barely long enough to cover her other private parts, although she crossed her legs, giving him a good view of her toned legs. Her hair was wet, and Jaune could see the towel clinging on to her wet skin.**

Jaune sprouted blood from his nose at the sight. Ren had no reaction probably because Nora covered his eyes while she is glaring at the girl on screen. Ruby covered her face while blushing, Yang facepalmed and wondered if she'll get the same reaction, Weiss blushed and pinched her nose, Blake started writing in her notebook again. Ozpin and Ironwood turned away to avoid seeing something they weren't supposed to and to avoid the wrath of Ms. Goodwitch. Said teacher remembered something she still regrets doing to this day.

 **"Sorry, I caught you out of the shower didn't I?" asked Jaune as he held up his nose to stop the bleeding.**

 **'Yes! It worked! He definitely noticed!' shouted Dew mentally while she said, "No worries."**

 **After stopping the nosebleed, they talked a bit more until it was time to go. Jaune promised to tell her more about himself but didn't want to risk it over the phone.**

 **As Dew hung up, Octavia piped up, "Sooo. Seducing him over the phone I see. Glad you took my advice."**

 **Dew ended up being teased mercilessly by her teammates.**

Weiss sympathized with Dew; Yang and sometimes Blake would tease her without remorse.

 _ **Flashback ends**_

 **The semester continued, with Cardin becoming more and more angry and jealous at team JNPR and RWBY, primarily at Jaune and Pyrrha: Jaune for humiliating him and Pyrrha for her reputation as well as showing him up in class.**

Jaune realized this is where Cardin will try to get revenge. Pyrrha, Weiss, and Ruby realized this is where Jaune beat the Ursa Major and wondered how this will play out. Winter licked her lips; unknown to everyone else, she loved the taste of red sap and it's been so long since she had some.

 **Soon, they were at Forever Falls for an assignment for Professor Peach, traveling there by Bullhead transport. Glynda had volunteered to be the chaperone for the day. Since the trip took up a whole day, the 1st year students were to go in groups on separate days. Today, team RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL were the ones going. Some of the other 1st years had already gone.**

 **"Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so," warned Glynda, "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here by 4 o'clock. Have fun!"**

Nora gasped dramatically. "Glynda Goodwitch told us to have fun?! Ren!" She shook the ninja. "The apocalypse must be happening!" Glynda looked at the ginger bomber with a raised eyebrow.

"Calm down, Nora," Ren responded. "I doubt it will happen because of one little thing."

 **They all separated into their teams. As they were gathering the red sap, Ren had to find more as Nora kept drinking it; Frustrated, Ren booped her on the nose, telling her that if she continued this, there would be no pancakes for a week; that stopped her from trying to drink more.**

"I can't blame her," Yang spoke up. "That stuff was delicious!"

"eh." Qrow shrug. "Not my kind of sweet."

 **Jaune, however, was not having fun.**

 **"I think I'm allergic to dis stuff," sniffled Jaune.**

The blonde sighed, that was not fun for him. Thankfully his aura cleared up his nose quickly.

 **"I'll take care of your share, Jaune," smiled Pyrrha, "Just take a seat and relax. Try to clear your sniffles and sinuses. Ren and Nora will be on the lookout for Grimm."**

 **Back to where team CRDL was, they had finished gathering 6 jars of red sap.**

 **"Russell, did you get the Rapier Wasps?" asked Cardin.**

 **"Right here," smirked Russell as he held out a box with a W drawn on it. Inside the box, there was a constant buzzing noise that could be heard.**

 **"Good. According to the stupid essay I had to do for Professor Peach, these things loovvee sweets. I think it's time we taught them a lesson** **.** **"**

"Those idiots!" Ironwood exclaimed. "Rapier wasps are able to puncture through aura! Depending on where the sap hits, they could cause serious harm, even death!"

"I have to agree," Ozpin stated, his eyes narrowed. "The fact they're attempting this is enough to warrant expulsion." The students then began to worry about Ryu-Long and Nikos.

 **"Umm, are you sure we should be doing this?" asked Sky.**

 **"Of course; those guys piss me off. Especially Jauney boy and that know-it-all Pyrrha" growled Cardin. He tossed a jar to Dove and said, "I'll aim at Jaune, you throw it at Pyrrha."**

 **On the count of three, they both threw it right towards their unsuspecting targets.**

 **Jaune had sat down leaning on a tree, trying to get rid of his allergies. He had his eyes closed, trying to get rid of a minor headache.**

"Look out, Jaune!" Ruby shouted, forgetting they can't hear the group watching.

 **Ren had finished filling up another bottle of the Red Sap and had turned around when he saw team CRDL already throwing the jars at Jaune and Pyrrha. He cursed as he knew he didn't have enough time to drop the jar, grab his weapons** _ **Stormflower,**_ **and shoot the jars.**

 **"Pyrrha! Jaune! Watch out!" warned Ren, hoping it would be enough.**

 **Jaune opened his eyes to see a jar coming at him. He quickly responded by grabbing his sword and slicing at the offending object, unable to grab his shield in time. He didn't want to grab it either as he had no idea what was coming. The jar split in half, releasing its contents on Jaune. Jaune quickly put his left arm up to block most of it from his face, but it splattered over his hair and the front of his hoodie. Pyrrha, however, wasn't so lucky. She had been busy collecting sap that when she heard it, she turned around just as the jar hit her on the head, releasing its content all over her hair and into her eyes.**

Jaune subconsciously tightened his grip on Pyrrha. The Spartan held him close to try and calm him down. It seemed to work.

 **"Ahhh! My eyes! It burns!" cried out Pyrrha. Shards of glass were also stuck in her** **and she** **promptly dropped her jar, trying to get rid of the sap on her eyes. It wasn't working.**

 **Jaune quickly ran towards Pyrrha, worried about her safety.**

 **"Shh, Pyrrha, id's okay. Just close your eyes for now. I got hid by some dis stuff. It's playing hell on my allergies," said Jaune, trying to cease his sniffles, "Let'z get you to somewhere safe so we can wash dis sap off."**

 **Suddenly, he heard a buzzing noise. He looked back, his eyes widening as he saw a group of Rapier Wasps flying right towards them, with their long deadly stingers coming for them. One of the dangerous things about Rapier Wasps was that their stingers could bypass Aura shields, piercing flesh instead of allowing Aura to block it.**

Yang tightened her grip on the couch to a dangerous degree. Glynda covered her mouth with a hand. Ruby held a pillow in a very tight grip. No one could say they weren't worried about the two.

 **"SHIT!" shouted Jaune as he picked up Pyrrha bridal style and ran. Pyrrha had heard them and hugged Jaune tightly.**

 **"Nora! Go help them, but be careful. I don't want you to get stung," said Ren, glaring at Cardin and his cronies, "I have something I need to do."**

 **He activated his Semblance and sneaked close to them. The team had tested his Semblance and found out he was also hard to detect for humans when he was sneaking up on them. His Semblance was Hidden Presence, able to hide from anyone he chose to. The only downside was he could only choose which race to hide. If he chose to hide from Grimm, then anybody else that wasn't a Grimm could see him. Same with other choices, except Faunus and Humans were grouped together. Even his teammates couldn't see or sense him if he chose humans in general. Luckily, Ren managed to make it work so at least Jaune could see him when he activated it, though Jaune had to rely on his Aura sense to detect him, and even then, it only worked if Ren was nearby, and he couldn't get a lock on** **and** **his semblance stopped working whenever he would attack, but it was perfect as a ninja. Ren took out a Scroll and started to record what they were saying. They were laughing and saying what a brilliant idea it was, or just plain insulting them, unknowingly revealing that they had done to Ren. He was tempted to break their legs, but he figured Jaune would want to have that right. He would just deal with any leftovers.**

"If there is any after what he'll do," Ren stated. Those that know him well know he is angry.

 **Jaune was running with Pyrrha hanging on to his body. He would have dealt with the wasps himself, but he didn't want any of them to escape and sting Pyrrha; especially when she was blinded, and the fact that since the Rapier Wasps loved sweets, it would sting her face, which was much deadlier than being stung on the body.** **they** **might even sting her eyes and permanently blind her. Unfortunately, due to the red sap, his sense of smell was completely shot, his nose stuffy, and he had no idea where Professor Goodwitch was. Luckily he saw team RWBY up in the clearing just as it was getting harder for him to breath.**

 **"Weizz! HELP!" shouted Jaune.**

 **Team RWBY looked and saw the rapier wasps coming for them. Weiss immediately pulled our a red Dust crystal, passing it to Yang, who had the strongest throwing arm.**

 **"Ruby, shoot when Yang tosses!" said Weiss.**

 **"Heads up!" shouted Yang as she tossed it right into the middle of the Wasps. Ruby immediately sniped it perfectly, causing an explosion that caught almost all of the Wasps. The remaining few were quickly disposed of by Blake, Weiss, and Nora, who had finally caught up.**

Jaune sighed in relief, that was very stressful for him. "Thank you." He groaned out.

"You're welcome," Weiss said. Qrow raised an eyebrow, he didn't think he'd hear a 'you're welcome' from a Schnee. Winter smiled because her sister is being nice.

 **"Well, they got all** _ **fired**_ **up," said Yang with a pun.**

Yang laughed while Pyrrha felt terrible for having to say that. Even she thought Yang's puns were bad.

 **Everyone groaned at that. Jaune gently set Pyrrha down, carefully taking the glass out of her hair.**

 **"What's going on!?"**

 **Glynda had come to investigate the noise and noticed scorched earth, a pile of dead Rapier Wasps, and Jaune gently grabbing the glass out of Pyrrha's hair while the both of them were coated with red sap.**

"Now you show up. Where were you like five minutes ago?" Qrow remarked. Glynda didn't say anything because she knew he was right and she hated that.

 **"Mr. Ryu-Long, take Miss Nikos to the Bullhead. There is water over there for her to rinse the sap out of her face. I'll ask why she had it in her hair and face later," said Glynda sternly. "The same with you, young man.**

 **After being directed towards it, Jaune quickly carried Pyrrha to it. Nora went with them. On the side of the Bullhead was a hose that was connected to the water supply inside the Bullhead. Together, they gently rinsed the sap from Pyrrha's face and hair before moving to Jaune's hair.**

 **"Can you open your eyes?" asked Jaune.**

 **Pyrrha gently opened them before closing them again, "Just a little to see. It still stings."**

 **Lung Wang grunted inside Jaune's mind, "** ** _You realize this was a deliberate attack on you and your mate?"_**

Jaune narrowed his eyes but thankfully for the viewers, the giant didn't reappear.

 **Jaune nodded, 'Yea. Someone threw a jar full of red sap on us. There's no way it dropped from the sky. And Rapier Wasps aren't naturally found here. I'm suspecting team CRDL. But I can't do anything without proof.'**

 **"** ** _Maybe not. I noticed Ren isn't here. Perhaps he went to gather evidence?"_** **said Ryo-Wo.**

 **Soon, all teams had returned to the Bullhead. Cardin and his team were sneering at Pyrrha, who could barely open her eyes still after flushing it with water. She would need to be taken to the nurse's office for a better rinse.**

 **"Where is your teammate, Mr. Ren?" Glynda asked Jaune, noticing they were missing someone.**

 **"Right here," said a voice behind team CRDL.**

 **Team CRDL jumped in surprise as Ren seemingly appeared behind them. Without breaking a stride, he walked towards his teammates.**

Jaune will admit he enjoyed seeing Team CRDL jump. He is really familiar with how bullies operate.

 **"I have proof team CRDL was behind the attack. We'll bring this up with Professor Goodwitch and Professor Ozpin after we get to Beacon safely," whispered Ren to Jaune only.**

 **Jaune clenched his fist in anger. He wanted to extinguish them now! However, he decided to keep his anger in check only until they reached Beacon. Then he would show team CRDL what it meant to provoke a dragon. If Ozpin didn't punish, he would personally dig them a grave, using their own bodies.**

A few were taken aback at that last line. "And I thought I could get angry," Yang muttered.

 _No doubt he would do it._ Blake thought.

 **When they landed back in Beacon, Cardin decided to push it a bit further, "So** _ **sorry**_ **that you were hit by a stray jar. I wonder who could have done such a thing? You were so** _ **unlucky**_ **that there were Rapier Wasps there." In his voice was smugness, basically telling them that he did it, but they had no proof, and so they couldn't do anything.**

Pyrrha shuddered; she felt so slimy reading Cardin's lines aloud. She'll be having a shower once this is over.

 **Pyrrha frowned at that. She knew it was his fault somehow, but she had no proof. Jaune, however, had no reservations in keeping his anger hidden anymore. Cardin had broken past his tolerance level. His left hand shot out, grabbing Cardin by the throat before throwing him into the concrete floor. Linking up with Fafnir and hardening his right hand, he smashed his right fist into Cardin's face, causing the ground to crack behind Cardin's body. The ground now had a deep imprint of his body from the throw, and his face looked like it had caved in. Jaune didn't care as he winded up for another hit.**

A few hisses sounded out; not in sympathy for the bully of course but for how brutal the thrashing was.

 **"Mr. Ryu-Long!" shouted Glynda, flicking her crop and sending Jaune off Cardin, "What is the meaning of this unprovoked attack!?"**

 **"I warned him that if he should ever do anything to my friends, he would feel my wrath," growled Jaune.**

 **"Do you have proof that CRDL was the one who attacked you?" asked Glynda,** **coolly** **. She did not want students attacking others based on gut feelings.**

 **Jaune flicked his head at Ren. Ren nodded before handing his scroll and clicking play on the recording.**

Glynda sighed: sometimes she wonders if the students actually listen to her because she cares.

 **Glynda's face grew stone cold when she heard team CRDL laughing and talking about their plans. Cardin and his team, who were trying to lift Cardin off the ground, didn't hear the recording.**

 **With another flick, Cardin was popped out of the ground from Glynda, although his face was still bleeding heavily. Even with full Aura, Jaune's punch had basically bypassed his defense through brute force and made contact.**

None were more impressed then Yang and Jaune. Yang because she was all about up close fighting and even she at her max power can't bypass aura, or if she did she can't remember. Jaune was impressed because this was an alternate version of him and he wondered if he could get that strong.

 **"Team JNPR and team CRDL, you will both report to the headmaster's office tomorrow morning," said Glynda, "Team CRDL, take your team leader to the medical wing. He's going to need some Aura and blood transfusion if he wants his face to look remotely normal. I can't promise it will."**

 **While team RDL was carrying Cardin, they were giving Jaune death glares, which wasn't very effective as their legs were still shaking from what Jaune had just done earlier.**

 **"Jaune, you shouldn't have done that!" reprimanded Pyrrha, although she was happy to see Cardin pulverized.**

 **"You might get expelled," said Weiss in a worrying tone.**

 **"Man, and I thought I was explosive when I get angry," said Yang, trying to ease the tension, but her voice betrayed her thoughts. She was just as worried.**

"I don't think we were paying attention back there," Ruby muttered.

 **"Don't worry about it," replied Jaune.**

 **"But-" started Ruby, but Ren interrupted her, "I caught their conversation on my Scroll. Apparently, they had been planning this attack just to show up Jaune and Pyrrha. I would had dealt with them, but I figured Jaune wanted to go first."**

 **"That means!" Blake** started **.**

 **"I was completely justified in my actions. Cardin's 'prank' could have left Pyrrha badly wounded, blinded, and even dead. And I will not have one of my potential mates die on my watch," growled Jaune fiercely, his eyes unintentionally becoming slits.**

 **"Still, you do need to be careful," said Weiss, "The Winchester name does carry some influence. Most likely they'll try to portray you as some sort of violent maniac."**

 **"Better to be one than to be unable to protect the ones I love," replied Jaune.**

 **Pyrrha blushed before giving Jaune a light peck on his lips. The other girls thought it was quite romantic. They quickly hurried to their dorms, where Jaune took a shower first at JNPR dorm while Pyrrha took hers at RWBY dorm. Needless to say, Pyrrha was tempted to just join Jaune in the shower, but not with so many girls gazing at her. They quickly went to bed, and it was luck that it was Pyrrha's turn to snuggle with Jaune for the day.**

Pyrrha sighed when she closed the book. That was a bit of a ride for her. Seeing the students finally relaxing after the stressful situation; Trevor decided for everyone to take a break.


	13. Chapter 12

"Weiss, Pyrrha; I need to talk to you two," Trevor said in a tone that bore no room for argument. Weiss and Pyrrha both knew that tone well so they followed him out of the room.

Jaune thought it would be a good time to ask Yang something. "Yang?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you cut your hair?" Jaune spoke and quickly added. "I'm not saying it's bad I'm just wondering because you get pretty upset when it gets cut."

Yang looked away for a moment before turning back and responding. "Let's just say Trevor got through to me about it. I'd rather not repeat what he said." Jaune nodded in understanding partly out of respect and partly not to anger Yang. "Anyway, how'd you make that giant earlier?" Yang asked.

Jaune had a look of confusion. "Giant?"

Yang insisted. "Ya know a giant, armored, scary looking dude with a huge sword. Ring any bells?" Jaune shook his head; no idea what she was talking about. Yang persisted. "Come on! You gotta have some recollection of a 10 ft tall man. I mean how can you not?"

The adults were wondering how someone like Jaune could create that . . . _thing_ from earlier. Ozpin theorized it could be his semblance. Winter wasn't entirely sure while Ironwood wanted to do tests but was reluctant to voice it, knowing he'll get a verbal smack-down. Glynda wondered if she was underestimating Jaune in terms of power.

Weiss and Pyrrha eventually came back but their ponytails cut very short; much in the same way, Yang has her hair now. Jaune gazed longer then he should have and looked away when he noticed Pyrrha was staring at him. Unknown to the blonde, Pyrrha was happy and a little embarrassed that he stared.

"Weiss!" Winter started, shock at her hairstyle. The specialist approached her sister and asked "Why did you cut your hair? Father won't be happy about it."

Weiss responded, "Trevor made Pyrrha and I realize long hair is a liability in battle."

"It's like a giant handlebar for your head." The god commented.

Ren opened the book and started where they left off.

 ** **Chapter 12: The end of the 1st semester****

Ren paused and noticed something. "Looks like something was scratched out here."

Trevor answered "Yeah. Azzie accidentally put in chapter 12 twice."

"Don't call me that!" A voice shouted; starling everyone.

Trevor slumped and muttered. "Every time."

 **It was a new day, and team JNPR and CRDL were standing in front of Ozpin's desk, with Ozpin sipping his morning coffee. Cardin had his face relatively back to normal, although his nose was flatter than before, and had missing teeth. It would take weeks to reset the nose to normal, and he was scheduled to have his teeth replaced.**

"Oh. Hoho." Yang cringed while holding a hand near her mouth. Qrow rubbed his nose, remembering a painful experience involving the Good witch and a window.

 **"So. I have here that Mr. Ryu-Long apparently got mad, and with one punch, sent Mr. Winchester to the medical wing. Is that correct?"**

 **Cardin looked embarrassed and pissed off at the same time when Ozpin said it like that before taking a deep breath.**

 **"I demand that he be expelled for an unprovoked attack, and his aura sealed!" demanded Cardin.**

A few let out growls because of what Cardin said. Ozpin sighed; even he had to admit his attitude won't get him very far in life. Ironwood sighed, he saw this kind of thing a lot in Atlas and as much as he doesn't like Qrow he could agree the people there are very self-centered.

 **Before anyone could say anything, they felt a wave of anger coming from Jaune, most of it directed at Cardin. Before Cardin could piss himself, Ozpin raised his own Aura levels, shielding Cardin from the threatening presence.**

 **"Stop, Mr. Ryu-Long," said Ozpin sternly. Jaune didn't look like he was going to comply when Pyrrha grabbed his hands. Jaune looked away from staring at Cardin into Pyrrha's pleading eyes. Taking in her gaze, he slowly let up. He could never say no to Pyrrha, his future mate, and savior. Pyrrha knew why Jaune was so angry about being sealed and promised him that it would never happen, conveying the message through her eyes.**

Jaune let out a breath and leaned on Pyrrha's shoulder who wrapped an arm around his back.

 **As Cardin was slowly getting his breath, Ozpin continued as if nothing happened, "Mr. Winchester. Right here, in my hand, is a recording of you blatantly confessing to trying to harm, or wors** **e** **, kill Pyrrha Nikos, a fellow student, and Huntress. If Jaune is to be expelled from Beacon, then your team will also be sealed and expelled from all four Kingdoms. After all, Mr. Ryu-Long's attack was justified, just not in its execution. Not to mention that even if I did expel him, I would be losing a promising student and potentially a team to Atlas, as Jaune is on their top priority list to take in as a student."**

"I wonder why?" Weiss commented sarcastically while looking at her sister. Winter returned the look and thought 'you would've done the same thing.

 **Team CRDL paled as Ozpin played the recording Ren had given to Glynda. After a few minutes of discomfort and silence, Ozpin made his decision.**

 **"We are going to forget about this event. I would hate to expel promising students that have made it into Beacon. There is no need to bring the police on this matter, but you five will be punished. Mr. Ryu-Long, you will have detention with Professor Goodwitch for the next month about controlling your behavior and anger. Team CRDL, you will have detention with Doctor Oobleck and Professor Port, learning the consequences of your action for the rest of this semester, as well as your behavior."**

Glynda silently gulped; she had detention with those two once before. She still has nightmares about Port's story. The teacher honestly sympathizes with team CRDL now but that doesn't mean she'll help them. Winter never got in trouble but from what she heard she's glad she never did.

Qrow noticed her gulp and decided to keep quiet for once, he worked with the portly teacher before and that man actually put Grimm to sleep once. Ironwood wondered what kind of punishments the two are going to give the students; he'll admit they're good hunters but they're. . . eccentric.

 **Cardin rose up to complain, but Ozpin stopped him, "Before you say anything, your father would be disgusted at what you did, Mr. Winchester. If I let it slip that you almost killed someone, he would certainly be angry at you. Is that clear?"**

 **"It was just a prank! She wouldn't have been in danger!" shouted Cardin.**

 **"No? Consider this, Mr. Winchester. You gathered Rapier Wasps with the longest stingers. You caused a student to become temporarily disabled and blinded. You painted the target at the victim's head. The wasps would have stung the victim in the face, and some might even aim for the eyes. Aura wouldn't be able to help, as the wasps can bypass them. The victim, at the least, would have to be in bed for a month to recover. More likely, the victim would have been blinded. At worst, the victim could've died. Does that seem like a prank or an assassination attempt?" questioned Ozpin. During this speech, his voice has turned cold and deadly, directing it all on CRDL. They were very close to making it wish that they had chosen to wear brown pants today.**

Yang couldn't stop the snort from slipping out. She knew the situation was serious but the brown pants made her think of a certain fourth-wall breaker. Nora suddenly felt the urge to talk to the reader but she had no idea who the reader was. Trevor suddenly let the room in a hurry.

'It's moments like this that remind me why he's the headmaster of Beacon.' Ironwood thought.

 _My power has diminished._ Ozpin realized. _Running the school has taken up a large part of my time, if only we had the budget to hire more staff_.

 **With a fierce gaze, he caused Cardin to pale and sit back down, nodding his head meekly. Ozpin slowly turned his glare to each student, to which they each nodded.**

 **"Good. Team CRDL, you are dismissed. You are to report straight to Professor Port at the end of your classes. He will handle the majority of your punishment."**

 **With a nod, team CRDL raced to the elevator, taking it back down to ground floor. Sky had pissed his pants, with Cardin coming close.**

Both Ruby and Nora giggled. Ren sighed; partly because this wasn't his type of story. He was more into detective books.

 **Ozpin sighed as he looked at team JNPR, a very promising batch of students. Together with team RWBY, they would be a force to reckon with.**

 **"Mr. Ryu-Long, I know your actions felt justified, but please, control your anger. I will deal with Cardin's father and his complaints that will most likely come, but in the meantime, please ensure that this doesn't happen again. You will report to Professor Goodwitch every weekend for the next month for your detention. You may head to your classes now."**

 **They nodded and quickly took the elevator down to their classes. Glynda stayed with Ozpin as he gazed out of the window.**

 **"Do you think this will work out?" asked Glynda, "Our candidate for...** _ **her?"**_

 **"I have no idea. I can sense something important at work," replied Ozpin, "Something much higher. All we can do is prepare and wait."**

The students looked to Ozpin for an explanation. The professor sighed and said. "That is a story for another time. Please continue Ren." The R of team JNPR obliged; he knew the tone of that voice very well.

 **The month went by fast, and Glynda really didn't have much to discipline Jaune. A few lectures, some chores such as cleaning the school, and Jaune was done. Team CRDL had the worst. They thought they would just listen to Port talk about his times, and just get some sleep in. They were dead wrong.**

 **When Port had heard what they had done, he forced them to his version of workout hell. He 'sparred' with them often, and when he was done, their bodies were almost smoking corpses. Oobleck wasn't easier. He made them read and reread any important history lessons, stressing the fact they needed to learn from their mistakes as well as giving quizzes. If one teammate failed the quiz, then the whole team had to do it again. That happened quite often than they would have liked. In one detention, Doctor Oobleck and Professor Port even decided to work together. Port would give his story, and Oobleck would give a quiz about it. They failed 5 times, listening to the same story over and over again. It plagued their dreams.**

The students actually felt bad for the former bullies but that didn't mean they forgave them. Weiss was silently wondering if he could convince her father to send Whitley to Beacon so the two professors could discipline him.

 **Meanwhile, in Jaune's little harem, the girls had gone out on dates with Jaune. He would sneak out with the chosen date of the evening and even sometimes fly them to Vale, using Othim's powers. Each girl enjoyed their dates. Ruby preferred to gaze at any new weapons coming out or eat a** **t a** **cafe, choosing cookies as her snack. Blake preferred the library, although she wouldn't say no to a few sushi restaurants. Yang was more of a thrill seeker, and liked to either shop at downtown Vale or just hit the Emerald Forest to explore it a bit more. Pyrrha preferred walks in the park, or even just laying down on the roof to watch the stars while cuddling Jaune. Although she wouldn't say no to chocolates every now and then. Weiss was still quite hesitant, and chose somewhere discreet, such as private restaurants or just staying at school. More than often, Weiss would choose not to go on the date. They all, however, enjoyed one thing in common. It was when Jaune would take them in his arms and go flying in the night sky. Feeling the cool air breeze through their faces, looking over the city, and all while snuggling close with Jaune. There was even a date night where he actually took two girls at once, though it was mostly Yang and Ruby together.**

It was without question that all the Beacon students wanted a pair of wings, each for one reason or another. Some had better reasons than others. The adults were quite curious about them as well.

 **Jaune sighed as he remembered the time when each of the girls had agreed and their first dates.**

 _ **Pyrrha**_

 **Pyrrha, being the first one to agree, was getting ready for her date. Jaune would be taking her to a cafe, where they would eat, before taking a walk in the park. The others were actually watching her with a bit of envy, but they hadn't made up their minds yet. Pyrrha shrugged at this. It just meant more time for her. Soon, she was walking with Jaune towards a hidden area. She was confused. Weren't they going to take the Bullhead to Vale? She got her answer when Jaune sprouted Othim's wing.**

 **"Are you ready?" grinned Jaune. Pyrrha replied back with a grin as Jaune held her bridal style and took to the air.**

The champion blushed and silently hoped their Jaune got wings. "When's the wedding?" Yang asked teasingly. Pyrrha's face lit up at the thought. Jaune face-palmed and wished his fellow blond would quit it. The dusty old crow chuckled. Ruby was exasperated by her sister.

Trevor finally returned, though without his coat and sunglasses, instead he had wide-brimmed regular glasses that showed his green eyes and he looked pretty roughed up like he's gotten into an intense brawl.

 **They made it to the cafe in good time and ate there quickly. Pyrrha couldn't afford to stay there too long, otherwise, people might notice her and draw in crowds, delaying their date. Something she really didn't want to do. They were soon walking in a nice park they had found in Vale, enjoying their time together.**

 **"You know, Jaune, I never really got to say this, but I really missed you. All that time back in Mistral, I never really had a friend beside you. Too many kept me on a pedestal," whispered Pyrrha.**

 **"I'm here for you now. And I promise, as a mate, I will never leave you. Never forget that" whispered Jaune back.**

 **"I know," smiled Pyrrha before drawing him in for a luscious kiss. Their tongues danced with each other, exploring each** **other's** **caverns until they decided it was time to head back to Beacon.**

Again, most people looked away while Pyrrha and Jaune were blushing up a storm. Ren actually felt embarrassed to say that kind of thing aloud; he'll admit he read a few books that had kissing but he'd never had to say it before.

 **When Pyrrha got back, the girls asked how the date was, to which Pyrrha replied with a silent but radiant smile before heading off to bed. Before she went to sleep, she mentioned how flying with Jaune felt magnificent. The girls glared at her with envy.**

 _ **Ruby &Yang**_

 **"I wanna go on a date with Jaune!" announced Ruby, declaring her candidacy for being part of Jaune's harem.**

 **"Ruby, you should-," started Yang, but Ruby interrupted her.**

 **"Jaune's a nice guy. I doubt we'll find someone else better."**

 **Yang tried to deny it, but in reality, there really wasn't anyone eye-catching at Beacon at the moment. Nor would there be any in the likely future because of Jaune.**

"You pretty much ruined my dating life, lady killer," Yang said and added. "But that's not a bad thing." She smirked. Jaune decided on something right then and there.

 **"Fine. But wait for your date next week," sighed Yang, "I'm coming with you to make sure he doesn't try anything funny."**

 **Ruby, however, wasn't listening and had already dragged Jaune out for a date.**

Yang gave Ruby an exasperated look the R of team RWBY stuck her tongue out.

 **Jaune had decided to just take Ruby for a flight to a bakery where they had famous cookies. After consuming a plateful, they went to catch a movie. In the dark, Ruby was awing at an action film they had been watching. After the date was over, Jaune gave her a kiss on her forehead. She was just too innocent. However, Ruby was having none of that before grabbing Jaune and giving him a kiss on the lips.**

Ruby blushed, had a goofy smile, and looked away from everyone while touching her index fingers together. Qrow groaned, he was not ready for this and doesn't think he ever will be.

 **"That felt nice," smiled Ruby as she finished, "Can we do it again sometime?"**

 **"Of course," replied Jaune, causing her smile to beam. Jaune quickly took Ruby into the air, where she cheered and asked Jaune to go faster.**

 **When they landed, they had to deal with a furious and jealous Yang. After chasing Jaune for what seemed hours, Yang demanded hers soon.**

 **A week later, they were in downtown Vale shopping for some new clothes. While Yang was going through clothes, Jaune was going through chairs, waiting and judging if the clothes were suitable. Yang decided to see if she could draw something further from Jaune and came out of the dressing room in a yellow string bikini that barely covered her 'blessed assets'. Actually, it barely covered any of her skin.**

Yang blushed up a storm and felt really embarrassed about doing that, but also. . . pleased at Jaune's reaction. The blond knight, spurted a fountain of blood at the sight though thankfully his aura quickly stopped that. Qrow did a double face-palm and groaned loudly, that the last thing he wanted to see.

Ironwood turned away from the screen partly out of respect and partly to avoid upsetting Qrow, a fight is the last thing they need. Glynda was reminded why she always wore a one-piece swimsuit when she had the rare chance to go to the beach. Winter wondered what kind of perverted mind came with string bikinis; she quickly decided she rather not know.

Ren had to find his inner peace before continuing.

 **Jaune almost left the shop by rocket nosebleed from that** **.** **Jaune didn't know it, but after seeing that reaction, Yang bought it. She decided to wear it when they were alone at a beach. The date ended with Yang giving him a lasting kiss to his lips.**

 _ **Blake**_

 **Blake had later caved in, saying she wouldn't mind. Their date was at a private section in the library, where she would just sit on Jaune's lap while they both read a book together. It wasn't expensive, but it felt warm, cozy, and comfortable for Blake. Adam would've never agreed to this, saying it was a waste of time. She frowned at this thought, though. It seemed like she still couldn't get Adam out of her head, still. Then, she felt her bow being pulled off, revealing her cat ears. Before she could complain, Jaune had already placed his hand on her head and was rubbing it softly, eliciting a warm purr from Blake. She wiggled herself further into Jaune as they both continued to read in silence.**

Blake blushed at what she was seeing but did admit to herself that did look relaxing.

 **"Something on your mind?" asked Jaune.**

 **Blake halted for a second before replying honestly, "I enjoy this, but my mind keeps going back to Adam every now and then, and how he wouldn't do this."**

 **"Your old partner?" clarified Jaune, "The one back on the train?"**

 **"And my ex," nodded Blake sadly, "I admired him. I had a crush on him. We eventually did kiss, but it always felt rough and sloppy."**

 **"Blake...," whispered Jaune softly, but Blake shook her head, "You're not some rebound guy. I was already falling out of love with him. I couldn't stand what he had become. I was just hoping that, somewhere in him, he would come to his senses. But I couldn't wait anymore. I'm with you now."**

 **At this, she nuzzled her head into Jaune's neck, breathing in his scent. It was incredible how his scent always filled her with peace and want. Adam's was mostly chaotic. No wonder her mother recommended him in her letter. This sense of stability was addicting.**

The B of team RWBY realized Jaune was much in the same way Ryu-Long is; grounded, nice to everyone, a good leader, and will listen to others when they have something to say.

 **As their date ended, they ended it with a quick night time fly before Jaune gave her a kiss on her lips. Not wanting it to end like that, she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him close for a longer kiss before slipping her tongue inside to touch his for a moment. They parted with a bit of their saliva still connecting their tongues until it finally broke apart, but Blake enjoyed it.**

Blake's blush returned and knew Yang was going to tease her about for a long while. Jaune groaned he wanted a break right now.

 _ **Weiss**_

 **Weiss decided to give a few dates a try. She chose a restaurant that offered private rooms so nobody could see them at all. As they ate in private, Weiss noted that Jaune had learned proper table manners befitting of a wealthy family.**

Jaune remembered all the times when mother corrected him about his eating habit, posture, and how he's holding a utensil at the table; it annoyed him to no end but he understood why it was done.

 **'He would be perfect if he didn't need a harem,' sighed Weiss. She wasn't opposed to dating him or becoming his wife in the future. He was strong, polite, confident, cunning, and with a proper upbringing. Best of all, he could easily handle her bratty little brother. But the fact still remained that he needed 5 other mates. That would not look good in the Schnee family. People would talk, thinking she was weird or, worse, loose. Some men would try to sneak into her bed, claiming to keep her company while her husband was busy with others.**

The blonde knight's fist curled up, the last person that tried something like that with his sister ended up in the hospital in a full body cast. Winter was right there with Jaune. _They try anything and I'll skewer their balls!_

 **Not only that, but she could lose her title as heiress if her father didn't like the publicity it would bring. She shivered to think how Whitley would run the Schnee business into the ground, destroying their grandfather's legacy. She would not allow it. She had to become the president of the SDC and bring it out of the mud her father had run it through. Her father, who wasn't even a Schnee by blood.**

Weiss then began to think about all the training her father put her through to becoming an obedient little girl but never fully succeeded. Coming to Beacon was the biggest act of defiance against her father. She was lucky father didn't take the title of heiress when she said she was going.

 **"Something heavy on your mind, Weiss?" asked Jaune in concern, "And don't lie. I can tell."**

 **"It's... it's just... I'm afraid," sighed Weiss, "Me, the heiress of the SDC, dating a man who has 5 other girlfriends. It could bring bad publicity to the Schnee name. And with bad publicity, my father would choose to pass the title to Whitley, something I will not allow. I refuse to let Nicholas Schnee's legacy be brought down by a brat who doesn't even respect others."**

 **"Weiss... As I said, if you're worried and uncomfortable, don't force yourself," advised Jaune, "I won't force you to become my mate. If you feel like there is somebody else out there more suited for you, then go for it. I will support your decision."**

 **"Thank you. But there really isn't anyone I can think of that will have a fitting position as my future husband," blushed Weiss, "Plus, it does help to know that you have a reason for multiple mates."**

Weiss has never been more happy with the decision of coming to Beacon when her team and by extension team JNPR became her friends, despite what happened in the first few days.

 **The two of them decided to switch subject after that, discussing news and politics. In the end, after taking Weiss out on a night flight, which she enjoyed a lot, Weiss gave him a peck on the cheeks.**

 **Jaune had also been progressing with his powers quite nicely, being able to boost the amount of power he got on his links while juggling multiple at once. However, this time, he was working on full immersion links.**

 **This sort of link with his dragons was a bit different. He could now easily link up with any of his dragons, and even link up 3-4 at a time, depending on his luck. Full immersion, though, was tricky. The regular link merely allowed Jaune to be able to use the said dragon's power, but his Aura was still the one powering it. Full immersion meant all of his Aura would be devoted to a dragon only, and he would not be able to use the other dragons powers. In return, he gained a lot more power of the said dragon, as well as taking in some of the dragon's appearance. If comparing links, the regular links currently gave him only about 10% of the dragon's powers, while full immersion was 50% currently. With more training, he would be able to link more dragons as well as go deeper on full immersion, but it would always take some time to channel and prepare his body for it, while the regular link merely took a thought.**

"Interesting." Ozpin mused before taking a sip of his new favorite blend of coffee.

 _I really need to step up my training regimen._ Jaune thought. Being a hunter isn't easy but he is willing to work for it.

 **Soon, the month of June had arrived, signifying their first semester was coming to an end. Team RWBY and team JNPR had the highest team grade out of their years. Individually, they were all within the top 15. Nora was last with Ruby on their teams, but mostly because of their lack of attention span for some of the classes. In fights, they were just as deadly. Each team member had been sparring with each other and learning more and more about each other. When their groups teamed up, Jaune ended up being the leader of both groups, with Ruby as second-in-command.**

 **Team RWBY and team JNPR were at Vale, visiting the docks on a weekend. Weiss's excuse was to 'welcome' the students from Vale. Blake deadpanned, saying she just wanted to scope out the competition. Weiss scoffed, saying that she had no proof. The rest merely smiled, as Weiss really didn't defend her stance.**

Qrow chuckled. "Reminds me of the time Ice Queen did the same thing."

"Oh shush, you alcoholic." Winter snapped with no real malice behind it. Glynda was reminded of all the time she spent with her team back a Beacon. Ironwood sighed but was relieved it didn't devolve into another brawl.

 **As they were walking, they came across a** **D** **ust store that had been robbed of all its** **D** **ust, but not of its Lien. As the detectives were talking to each other in the crime scene, they mentioned that the White Fang may be the ones behind the attack.**

 **"Hmph! The White Fang," scoffed Weiss, crossing her arms and pointing her nose to the air with her eyes closed, "What an awful bunch of degenerates."**

 **This led to Blake arguing with Weiss about the White Fang. Blake had not pulled up the courage to tell everyone that she used to be part of the White Fang. As Weiss continued to pile insults at the White Fang, unintentionally insulting all Faunus, Blake's anger started to rise higher.**

Weiss was ashamed that she had her father's views; the last thing she wanted was to be like him and she still gained his opinion about Faunus. She didn't even bother to acknowledge Ruby was hugging her.

 **Suddenly, they were interrupted when a monkey Faunus jumped from a ship, running away from a sailor, who was shouting for someone to stop the stowaway. The detectives tried but were shown the value of how much they were paid by failing miserably. As the Faunus was running, he ran by Blake and winked at her, but almost faltered when she looked away. He really did falter when he saw Jaune's face. Clear as day, on his face, were the words, "Hands off!" displayed in Jaune's eyes. Deciding running from detectives was more important, Sun kept running.**

 **"Well, Weiss, you wanted to see the competition, and there it goes..." said Yang.**

 **Weiss pointed a finger at the runaway, "Quick! We have to observe him!"**

Qrow laughed; he remembers when Winter did the exact same thing when they went to the docks. 'like re-watching an old memory.' he thought 'I'm just glad their team pulled themselves together somewhat at this point.'

 **As team RWBY gave chase, Jaune merely chuckled as he looked out to the docks. Seeing that their leader wasn't chasing, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren stayed with Jaune.**

 **"So, why are we not observing, fearless leader?" asked Nora.**

 **"Weiss was right about one thing. There's a team that's arriving from Vacuo earlier than the rest of their class," explained Jaune, "And I'm hoping it's the team I know."**

 **Soon, coming off the boat was four girls from Shade Academy. One of them was actively scanning the docks, looking for a specific blonde boy, as she had told him she was coming.**

 **"Well, Dew, we're finally at Vale. Hoping to see Jaune soon?" said Octavia.**

 **"You know it's mostly to get away from that punk Boyd Arc," defended Dew, still scanning the docks.**

 **"Yea, that's about 30% of the reason. The rest is to see Jaune," deadpanned Gwen.**

 **"I don't mind," added Nebula, "Aurelian Arc's been hitting on me, and it's getting annoying. Just because he was the champion of the last tournament, he thinks he's privileged. He's even hinted on taking all of us for himself."**

Quite a few tempers flared at hearing that. Glynda wished she could discipline the two boys. Yang wanted to bash their heads in, she always hated people like that.

 **Team NDGO had received permission from the headmistress of Shade Academy to come to Beacon earlier than the rest of the school to "scout" their living quarters. The real reason was to get away from the Arcs. They were getting tired of them, and it didn't help the Arc 'fans' kept trying to bully NDGO. They were later shown why NDGO wasn't a team to b** **e** **trifled with.**

 **As they scanned the docks, Dew was the first one to spot Jaune. Without even stopping to tell her teammates, she immediately ran towards him, leaving her team with a dust imprint of her behind her.**

The image onscreen helped release the tension in the room. Ruby was reminded of the cartoons she used to watch. (she sometimes watches them when she's alone.)

 **"Well, I think it's safe to say she found Jaune," said Gwen, looking at the dust cloud Dew had left behind.**

 **"Let's catch up to her," said Nebula.**

 **As Jaune was talking to his teammates, he heard rapid footsteps approaching him. He turned around to see a blur of green and gold crashing into him. Steadying himself, he made sure he didn't fall over.**

Jaune sighed as he remembered all the times his sisters tackled him, and it was never just one, there was always at least two. The worst was when all seven of them tackled him and all of them bigger than him.

 **"Did you miss me?"**

 **Jaune looked down and saw Dew hugging him tightly. Smiling, he replied, "It's nice to see you again Dew. Where's the rest of your team?"**

 **"Right over here!" chimed a voice.**

 **Everyone turned to see the rest of team NDGO walking up to them.**

 **"Trust Dew to be able to find you so quickly," teased Octavia, causing Dew to blush while Pyrrha raised her eyebrow. She now felt like she had confirmation on the last of Jaune's choice of mates. Dew was glaring at Pyrrha. She had heard the 'Goddess of Victory' was Jaune's teammate and was terrified she would steal Jaune from her. Seeing as she wasn't doing anything, Dew thought she might still have a chance.**

"Oh, she has a chance alright," Yang said with a devious smirk. No one bothered to comment.

 **As introductions went around, suddenly a stomach growled. They looked to see Jaune, who looked embarrassed.**

 **"Let's get something to eat before we continue this," said Jaune.**

 **Another stomach growled, and everyone turned to look at Gwen.**

 **"Yea, lets," said Gwen with a slight tinge of redness on her cheeks.**

 **"Shall we try to invite team RWBY too?" asked Ren. Jaune thought about it before shooting a message at Ruby, telling them where they were headed to eat and if they wanted to come.**

 **"Shot them a message. If they come or not is up to them," shrugged Jaune before leading the way to a restaurant.**

 **Night came upon them, and team JNPR and NDGO went their separate ways for now. Jaune promised Dew and her team he would tell them a secret only if they could keep it. They agreed, though it would have to wait for a better time, most likely after the 1st semester ended.**

 **As JNPR arrived at their dorms, they came in to see Ruby and Yang looking nervous, and Weiss sitting at her bed looking at the moon.**

Blake gulped; leaving right there just made things worse for herself. She's very lucky it all worked out in the end. The heiress still remembered the shock and betrayal she felt when she found out the truth, though thankfully she got over it. _I knew that was the right thing to do if I wanted to be better than my father_ She thought.

 **Blake was nowhere to be seen.**

 **"What's wrong?" asked Pyrrha, a little unnerved by the atmosphere.**

 **"Did you know that Blake is a White Fang member?" shout out Weiss.**

 **"Ex-member," corrected Jaune. They all looked at him in surprise.**

 **"You already knew?" asked Yang incredulously, "Why didn't you tell us?"**

 **"Because it's not my story to tell," replied Jaune**

 **"But-, she-" started Weiss, but Jaune held up his hand.**

 **"She was nervous to tell you her past, Weiss, given your family history with them. It took her a lot of courage to even admit she was a Faunus. Tell me what happened, though."**

Winter didn't like it but Ryu-Long was right. It's never your story to tell and the best way for everything to turn out for the best is if it's the one who has been part of that story.

 **Ruby explained what had happened when they were chasing the monkey Faunus. They had lost the Faunus when Weiss crashed into someone named Penny, who was a strange girl with orange hair, green eyes, and a quirky attitude. She, apparently, was also visiting and participating in the tournament.**

Ironwood flinched, barely enough that only the experienced noticed. _What was she doing roaming about?_ The specialist thought. _Did she slip away?_

 **After introducing themselves to the girl, Weiss had slipped back into her old habit by accident, much to Blake's displeasure. Soon, it escalated into an argument, and Blake let slip that she had joined the White Fang because she was tired of being treated like trash. After that revelation, she ran away. Weiss felt guilty, due to the fact she had come to the fact that Blake was still an active member. She was their teammate! She should've trusted her better than that.**

Weiss sighed. _I_ s _hould be better than that._

 **Jaune sighed at this before stating that they should get some sleep. Blake could take care of herself, and that they should use this to let them organize their own thoughts before finding Blake in the morning.**

Ozpin sighed and was glad Ryu-Long was able to defuse the situation so well. People like that are true leaders; he should know. Ironwood is still unsure about the girl but didn't jump straight to the 'jail her!' train of thought.

 **Two days later, and Blake had still not shown up at Beacon at all. Worried, both teams split up to find Blake while covering more ground. As soon as he was sure nobody was looking, Jaune closed his eyes, linking up with Andusk to sense Aura. While there were thousands in the city, he was familiar with Blake's Aura. Sifting through them all, he found her at a cafe with someone sitting across from her. He quickly ran there but made a slight detour into a food store before coming out with a bag.**

 **Blake was sipping tea while sitting with the monkey Faunus she had seen jumping off the ship. After introducing himself as Sun Wukong, Blake had stayed with him at a hotel, separate rooms, of course. Sun, of course, tried to make himself seem appealing, but Blake barely even talked. As they were sipping tea, Blake finally decided to talk. She told Sun truthfully all about the White Fang, and that she had been part of it.**

"Is that why you're so set on taking it down?" Yang asked. Concern filled her voice. Blake only nodded in reply.

 **"So... have you told your friends any of this?" asked Sun.**

 **Blake looked down in shame until a voice piped up, "I already knew most of it."**

 **They looked to see Jaune leaning on the railing with a bag in his hand. He tossed it to Blake.**

 **"Did you eat yet? Have you been eating?" asked Jaune.**

 **Blake opened and slightly drooled when she saw tuna sandwiches.**

Blake licked her lips at the sight. She went a grabbed a tuna sandwich from the cart.

 **Eating it happily, Sun introduced himself to Jaune. Sun held a slight jealous gaze while shaking Jaune's hand.**

 **"So, what brings you here, Sun?" asked Jaune.**

 **"Eh, wanted to see what Vale's like. My team's not scheduled to come until after the two-week break, but I couldn't resist. It's not the first time I've done this," said Sun, "How do you know Blake?"**

 **"She's in the team that lives with us. Also, I'm well acquainted with her father and mother," said Jaune.**

 **'Crap. He has so much more advantage over me,' thought Sun, 'Maybe he's not interested in her? I hope so. Maybe that glare was like a brother telling people to back off from his sister?'**

 _Sun's not a bad guy but he's not my type_ Blake thought while snaking on her sandwich. _Needs salt_

 **After Blake had finished devouring her sandwiches, the trio was walking down an ally.**

 **"Blake, you really should let your teammates know you're at least all right," lectured Jaune. Blake slightly wilted at this but stood back up.**

 **"I know, but I can't help but think about these recent robberies. The White Fang has never needed that much Dust before," said Blake.**

 **"What if they did?" asked Sun, his eyes widening. He turned to the both of them, "I mean... the only way to prove that they didn't do it, is to go to the place where they would most likely go to if they were to do it, and not find them there! Right?"**

 **"In short, find the real perpetrators," summarized Jaune, "Why couldn't you have just said that?"**

 **Sun just shrugged at this. Wasn't his fault his thought process went that way.**

everyone had to admit that a person's thought process was unique, no, matter how similar they are.

 **"The only thing is, I've no idea where that would be," sighed Blake.**

 **"Well, while I was on the ship, I heard some guys talking about offloading a huge shipment of Dust coming in from Atlas," offered Sun.**

 **"How huge?" asked Blake, her eyes narrowing.**

 **"Huge. Big Schnee Company Freighter," answered Sun.**

Blake was sad because of what the White Fang has become. All her mother and father's hard work turned into a. . . Terrorist organization. _I loathe that word but it fits the best._

 **"Looks like we got our location," said Jaune. He was about to call the rest of the team when Blake stopped him.**

 **"Please. Don't tell them yet. I have to find out for myself first," pleaded Blake.**

 **Jaune sighed and agreed, but told Blake that if they needed back up, he would call them.**

 **Pyrrha was walking in Vale by herself, looking for Blake. She sighed as she contemplated that she should have just gone with Jaune. Suddenly she heard her name being called. She turned around to see it was Dew, by herself.**

 **"Hello, Pyrrha! What brings you around here?" asked Dew.**

 **"Just looking for a friend. You?" questioned Pyrrha.**

 **"Shopping for some personal items. Do you want to grab something to eat? I have something I want to ask you," stated Dew.**

"She's scouting out the competition," Yang stated, though everyone knew meant for Jaune. The blonde was still unsure how to feel about several girls wanting him.

 **Pyrrha thought about it and agreed. Soon, they were eating at a local cafe. There was an awkward silence until Dew decided to break it first.**

 **"How did you meet Jaune?" asked Dew.**

 **Pyrrha decided it couldn't hurt and told her about how Jaune come to Mistral. In turn, Dew shared about how he came to Vacuo. Both left out some details, such as the kiss as well as Jaune's aura being sealed. In the end, Dew decided she needed to ask.**

 **"Are you dating Jaune or are you interested in him? Because I'm going to try if he's still single," said Dew with a serious face.**

 **Pyrrha was a bit surprised at her forwardness before replying, "Yes. I am dating Jaune right now. Why do you ask?"**

Blake leaned forward in interest. _What_ _'s her reaction going to be?_ She wondered.

 **Dew cursed under her breath, closing her eyes. Tears were threatening to come out. She had lost her chance to ask Jaune out, but all it wasn't lost. There wasn't any guarantee that they would always be together. She opened her eyes before answering, "Because, if you let go of him, then I will snatch him before you get the chance to take hold of him again." She looked at Pyrrha, fire burning in her eyes with conviction.**

Ozpin sighed with a tired smile. _Ah to be young again._

 **"You really do like Jaune, don't you?" asked Pyrrha.**

 **"How is there not to like?" replied Dew, "He's strong, nice, and kind. Also very good looking. Compared him to the guy that keeps trying to hit on me, it's night and day."**

 **"Do you like him enough to share?" asked Pyrrha, putting her hands together and leaning forward a bit. Dew gave a confused look in response.**

 **"Jaune hasn't told you yet, has he? Well, I'm sure if you're interested in him, he'll tell you about more about his life and past, just like he did with me and the rest of my team," said Pyrrha cryptically before leaving, letting Dew become even more confused.**

 **It was night time, and Blake and Jaune were at the docks observing. Sun came in with some food, asking if he had missed anything. He offered them some food he stole and got glares back.**

 **"Do you always break the law without giving a second thought?" asked Blake.**

 **"Hey, weren't you in a cult or something?" shot back Sun, receiving an even angrier glare from Blake and Jaune. "Ok, too soon."**

Blake huffed. Sun needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut. Jaune sighed, one of his sisters was like that; she never shuts up.

 **"As long as you know it," replied Jaune.**

 **Suddenly, the wind started to blow around them, and they looked up to see a Bullhead flying around before descending to the ground in the middle of all the cargo containers. A ramp came forth, and White Fang soldiers walked out.**

Ironwood seethed. _How did they get past security?!_ He thought, his mind racing to come up with solutions. Winter knew the White Fang had resources but to have a Bull-head and a pilot means they've been underestimating the Fang's connections.

 **"Oh no," gasped Blake, hoping what she saw wasn't true.**

 **"Is that them?" asked Sun. One of the grunts turned around, flashing the White Fang symbol to them. It was a red feral animal with three slash marks behind it.**

 **"Yes... it's them.," said Blake sadly as the White Fang grunts started to**

 **"You really didn't think they were behind it, did you?" asked Sun.**

 **Blake could only stare sadly at the scene, "No. I think deep down I knew. I just didn't want to be right." She closed her eyes in despair, only to open them suddenly when she heard a new voice. Her vision zoomed into the newcomer to discover that he was human. She recognized him as Roman Torchwick from the news.**

 **"Hey! What's the holdup!?" shouted Roman, "We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals try to pick up the pace?"**

The adults were in shock. They knew Salem had her hand in many things but both the Fang and the greatest thief in Vale working together, albeit reluctantly means this is worse than they thought.

 _I need to step up my game._ Qrow thought. There wasn't even a hint of them working together.

Blake hated seeing this because she acted without thinking rationally. Stopping the White Fang requires more than a bunch of Hunters in training despite their backgrounds.

 **"This isn't right. The White Fang would never work with a Human. Especially not one like that," said Blake as she stood up, unsheathing Gambol Shroud from her sheath and walking off the edge of the roof they had been hiding.**

 **"Hey, what are you doing?!" said Sun, alarmed, only to see her disappear.**

Blake's ears lay flat against her head as she curled in on herself. It was a small comfort that her partner was hugging the Faunus.

 **Jaune quickly sent a message to team RWY and NPR, telling them to come to his location, weapons ready for battle.**

 **"Cmon, Sun. We need to back Blake up," said Jaune, wrapping his head with a cloth again.**

 **"Why are you hiding your face?" asked Sun quizzically.**

 **"Just don't want them to see my face," replied Jaune, "I'd feel safer if they didn't recognize my face so easily, especially since I'm human. The White Fang tends to get more violen** **t** **if a human is stopping them."**

"That's an understatement," Qrow muttered. He's seen what the Fang does to human prisoners. _And they call us monsters._

 **Sun shrugged before jumping after Blake.**

 **"Well then," muttered Jaune to himself as he linked up with Othim. He put** _ **Dragonscales**_ **into his bag before gripping his sword in his sheath. He pulled it out, and the sheath transformed. It expanded a little before jutting out its sharpened sides forward, making a wider sword with a heavier weight. It now looked like Jaune was wielding a black two-handed sword. Combining the fact he was now sporting black scaled wings, Jaune thought he looked pretty terrifying. Of course, he didn't want the White Fang to think he was the same person who interfered with the train. He took off the pauldrons but kept everything else. He took to the skies, disguising himself for now with the night sky. For the while, he would just observe until he needed to intervene.**

Despite the situation, Ironwood felt they had a good chance with a fighter like Ryu-Long there and backup coming. Qrow didn't like the situation at all, he doesn't care how skilled Ryu-Long is; someone like Roman doesn't survive as long as he does on luck alone.

 **Ruby saw the message and started to run towards the docks, with her new friend Penny chasing behind her.**

 **Yang and Weiss made their way after asking around in the marketplace about Blake. Weiss had finally made up her mind to apologize to Blake for her behavior.**

 **Ren had to drag Nora away from all-the-pancakes-you-can-make aisle towards the docks.**

Nora didn't like but she'd rather give up pancakes before she let any one of her friends get hurt.

 **Pyrrha ran towards the docks as soon as she saw Jaune's message. Dew, who had reunited with her teammates, saw Pyrrha running as fast as she could with her weapons ready. Intrigued, team NDGO decided to follow.**

Glynda did not like the students are heading into battle against criminals who have no problem killing anyone that gets in their way.

 **Blake had managed to sneak up behind Roman and held her blade at his neck. The White Fang reacted, pointing their guns and brandishing their weapons, but were surprised when she took off her bow to reveal that she herself was a Faunus. She questioned why they were aiding Roman when he told her that he was actually working with the White Fang on a certain operation. Blake tried to pry for more information when she was distracted by two more Bullheads flying over.**

 _Of course, they would have more nearby_ Winter groused. One container wasn't enough for what they were planning apparently.

 **Blake watched in horror at the sight. Roman, seeing her distracted, pointed his cane at her feet. The end of the cane's bottom flipped up, and Roman fired, sending Blake flying away in an explosion.**

"Never get distracted during battle; it has been the end of many," Glynda stated.

 **All teams saw this explosion in the distance and ran faster to the location.**

 **Blake was dazed by the sudden explosion but unhurt. Regaining her bearings, she quickly rolled out of Roman's shots. He kept firing, forcing her away. She did a few backflips before using her Semblance to get some more distance. She quickly ran for cover behind one of the cargo containers.**

 **"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty..." taunted Roman until a banana peel landed on his head. He looked up in surprised just to see Sun** **drop-kicking** **/stomping him on his face. Roman's head ended up on the floor as Sun did a couple of flips before landing and turning around.**

 **"Leave her alone!" snarled Sun.**

Blake smiled for once when the docks scene started. _Sun_ _'s kind of like the brother I never had._

 **Roman slowly got back up, shaking off the concussion he just got. Soon, the Bullheads that had been hovering above them opened up, letting more White Fang members descend down, surrounding Sun.**

 **"You're not the brightest banana in the bunch, are you, kid?" teased Roman as the White Fang members charged in.**

Blake smirked. Sun's very good with his weapon.

 **Sun merely smirked as he took out the first victim. The second one was knocked out by his monkey tail slapping him hard, followed by a swift kick on the third one. After punching and kicking quite a few of them, he rolled under a sword slash before grabbing his weapon, a red staff with gold markings. He spun it around quite a few times, knocking the grunts out of commission before slamming his staff onto the floor, knocking out two of them while causing the third one to stumble, to which he quickly tripped him before flipping right over the grunts head and stomping him in the spine. With another flip, Sun sent the hapless grunt at Roman as a projectile.**

"Here is another important lesson; never underestimate your opponent," Glynda said. Honestly, Sun is a loose cannon but he's good at being a Huntsman, the monkey Faunus needs discipline though.

 **Roman just groaned in frustration before aiming his cane and firing a shot, to which Sun blocked it by twirling his staff in front of him at high speeds. Good help was always hard to find.**

 **"He's mine!" shouted Blake as she dropped in and attacked Roman as fast and furiously as she could.**

 _I_ _'m acting like Yang here._ Blake thought.

 **However, even abusing her Semblance to launch attacks at all different angles, Roman showed them why he was the boss, and why he was feared in the underground crime city. He was initially surprised from the first hit but managed to block the rest before attacking her, even landing a fist on her face, although that was once again dodged. It was when Roman stunned Blake by hitting her with the hook part of his cane did he land a few more hits before swiping his weapon downwards on her head, knocking her back. Sun came to intervene, switching his staff into two nunchakus,** _ **Ruyi Bang**_ **and** _ **Jingu Bang**_ **, and kicked Roman away. He started attacking with weapons, spinning them and firing shotgun rounds at Roman, while trying to bash him at the same time. Roman parried each attack, leaving Sun unable to get through his defense. Sun finally had enough, and after tossing his left one in the air, he spun, letting the right nunchaku hit first before catching the left one in his rotation and slamming it at Roman's weapon, leaving them both open. Blake took advantage of this and slashed at him, sending him flying backward**

 **"Urg," groaned Roman.**

Ruby and Nora yelled excitedly, Yang enjoyed the fight and was glad her partner is ok.

 **He looked up to see a cargo container suspended by a crane right above Blake and Sun. Taking advantage of this while chuckling, he shot the hooks off, forcing it to fall onto them. Before Blake and Sun could move, the container was suddenly sliced in half! The container parts fell away from the two so they weren't in danger. Roman's eyes widened in surprise when he saw it split in half. He looked down to see another person, this one with a cloth mask on, covering both hair and face, revealing only the eyes. The only hint Roman had to go off was that the person was male.**

 _Whenever fighting someone with connections, always try to hide anything about yourself._ James thought.

 **"Heh, another hero?" asked Roman sarcastically. His tone dropped as the mysterious man stood up, and expanded his black scaled wings while pointing his black blade at him.**

 **'Please tell me I didn't somehow piss off a real devil! I already have the devil bitch on my ass!' Roman mentally screamed.**

Yang laughed a little. A few others snickered at the really good impression Ren gave. The raven-haired man gave a dry cough and tried to clear his throat. A glass of water appeared for him. After drinking the whole thing, he got back to reading.

 **"Don't stand there. Get them!" shouted Roman. The remaining White Fang that wasn't knocked out charged forward, albeit a bit scared.**

 **Team RWY, NPR, Penny, and NDGO arrived just in time to see a figure cut through the container and was now pointing his black blade at Roman, his wings expanded. They were, however, at separate spots when they entered the docks.**

 **"Whoa," said Ruby in awe before noticing Roman trying to sneak away. She called him out.**

 **While the trio was distracted, Roman heard a voice call out. He turned around to see it was Ruby.**

 **"Why hello, Red! Isn't it past your bedtime!" shouted Roman in a jovial manner as he waved at her.**

 **"Ruby, are these your friends?" asked Penny.**

 **"Penny, get back!" warned Ruby. However, this slight distraction cost her as Roman took a shot, blasting her back.**

Yang's semblance activated at seeing her sister hurt. It may not be her Ruby but it's doesn't matter to her.

 **Yang saw this and roared out in anger as she charged at Roman.**

 **The rest of the team went to help Blake and the others. NDGO revealed what weapons they were using. Dew had a spear with a green Dust crystal embedded inside the spearhead. Nebula had transformed her crossbow into a sword. Octavia was using her kris dagger to stab. Gwen was providing support with her throwing knives.**

Ruby scanned each weapon with a trained eye. From what she could tell, they specialize in hit-and-run attacks.

 **Penny was giving Roman the glare before walking forward. Ruby tried to stop her, but her reply was, "Don't worry, Ruby. I'm combat Ready!"**

Ironwood is worried about what Ozpin might say afterward. He needs to keep a better eye on Penny.

 **Her backpack opened up revealing, a sword that had been folded up before it split into 10 swords. She ran in to fight, jumping from the rooftop they had been on.**

 **Jaune was surprised to see team NDGO helping out, but didn't complain about it for now. There would be time to explain later. He was surprised to see another girl fighting with what seemed to be floating swords and being devastatingly effective. Roman was busy fending off an enraged Yang. A few more bullheads showed up, firing upon them all. Everyone ran to dodge and hide from the barrage. All but Penny, who made her swords block the bullets. Two more swords came out from her backpack, shooting into the wall before she suddenly flew back, dragging her swords along with her. Jaune finally realized that Penny was actually manipulating each sword with a string, like a puppet.**

 **The ten swords in front of Penny folded up as they rotated around Penny in a circle in front of her. She channeled her Aura, forming a green ball in front of her swords. Then, she leaned back and punched both hands forward, shooting out beams of laser that cut the Bullheads in half. White Fang members fell out of the ship in shock as the Bullheads split open. She then threw her swords at another Bullhead, trying to steal the cargo. The Bullhead was unable to move, and Penny brought it down hard.**

The teams were in shock at what Penny is capable of doing. Ironwood may not like but he is glad to get a good idea on what Penny is able to do in a real battle.

 **Roman, taking advantage of everyone being distracted by Penny's attacks, got onto a Bullhead that had still been docked. Signaling the pilot, the Bullhead shot off before anyone could do anything.**

 **"These kids just keep getting weirder..." muttered Roman to himself as the Bullhead flew away.**

 **"Well, he got away," grumbled Yang. Jaune quickly flew away too, leaving them to themselves. Before Nebula could ask, they promised to tell them later on. The police quickly arrived and detained all the White Fang members on the site. The rest of them was momentarily held up for a few questions before being released.**

 **After they had been released, Weiss turned to Blake, who started to speak.**

 **"Weiss, I want you to-" started Blake, but Weiss stopped.**

 **"Enough," Weiss proclaimed, "I have to apologize for my attitude. I slipped back into the behavior I swore to kick off. As long as you're not part of the White Fang anymore, then I don't care about your past, just like Jaune's. Just... if something big like this comes up, you'll come to your teammates first. And not someone else."**

"I still expect you to at least do that for us," Weiss said to the B of RWBY. Blake merely nodded in understanding. Ruby managed to pull both Weiss and Blake in for a hug with Yang voluntarily joining in.

"Hey!" Nora exclaimed. "Don't leave us out!" She dragged Ren and Jaune over before pulling Pyrrha as well. The group hug lasted a few moments with Weiss grumbling the whole time.

 **Blake had to wipe a tear before agreeing. Ruby cheered, saying that team RWBY was back together again. Everyone chuckled at this.**

 **"Wait a minute, where's Penny?" asked Ruby suddenly, looking around, noticing she had disappeared.**

 **Everyone shrugged before they finally started to head back to Beacon.**

 **Penny was sitting inside a car, watching the group of friends gather to get ready to leave. She wanted to be with them, but protocols dictated that she had to obey her caretaker, who had come to pick her up.**

 **"You should know better than to go running around in a strange city," lectured the driver as he started up the car.**

 **"I know," said Penny sadly. She continued to gaze at the group. The driver noticed and sighed, "Penny, your time will come..." The car drove off in the opposite direction of where the group was headed to.**

Ruby felt bad for Penny. She didn't care if the girl was a robot, she still her friend.

 **Qrow was watching a live feed of a newscaster reporting about the incident at the docks. The camera was currently being pointed to Ruby when he noticed an incoming message. Quickly opening it, he saw that it was a message from his trusty 'eyes' Qrow. On the message was something that made him shiver.**

 _ **Queen has Pawns.**_

 **Ozpin hmmed to himself as he continued to think and plan what to do for the future.**

 **"** ** _ **Hey, Jaune. Did you notice?"**_** **asked Andusk while Jaune was flying in the air back to Beacon.**

 **"Yea. That Penny has a weird Aura. It almost felt like it wasn't... human? Similar, but not close enough. Nor is it a Faunus," replied Jaune as he was flying in the night sky.**

Everyone may know the truth but Ironwood didn't like having Atlas secrets exposed.

 **"** ** _ **Good to see your senses are developing quite well,"**_** **said Lung Wang,** _ **"Still, the girl itself is intriguing. To be able to weaponize her Aura into a blast like that. Perhaps in the future, if you see her again, you can learn more."**_

 **Roman dragged himself into an abandoned warehouse and sighed. This robbery had not gone as planned, and he mostly blamed it on teaming up with the White Fang. Sure, the men that he had borrowed from Junior, an owner of a nightclub, were weak, but at least they got the job done. Granted, this heist had been on a larger scale with much higher risks.**

 **"How very disappointing."**

 **Roman whirled around to see a woman with long black hair and golden eyes with a red dress approaching him. He sighed as he saw it was Cinder. Behind her were her two lackeys, Emerald, a green-haired girl with brown skin, and Mercury, a tall gray-haired male with pale skin.**

 **After throwing a few words back and forth, Cinder and her two pawns were about to leave when Roman muttered, "I have a devil behind me, and now another in front of me. Talk about being stuck in a hard place."**

 **"What do you mean, another devil?" asked Cinder threateningly, her hands bathed in fire.**

"Wouldn't be surprised if she was one," Trevor mumbled.

 **She didn't mind being called one, as it gave her power over others. However, to hear Roman call somebody else one was... interesting.**

 **Roman tried to wave it off, but seeing as she wouldn't let it go, he sighed, "At the docks, there was another person who stopped me. He had wings like a devil, with a dam** **n** **black sword. I would have thought it was a Faunus, but something in my gut told me otherwise."**

"Oh boy," Jaune muttered. Ryu-long is now in the crosshairs of the woman who will cause the fall of Vale.

 **"Intriguing," murmured Cinder before leaving. As they left, Mercury whispered to Emerald, "Think it has something close to do with that 'angel' incident?"**

 **Emerald rolled her eyes and replied sarcastically, "Please. I bet they were just both Faunus that's been hiding. There are so many types of Faunus. Probably some that's been hiding."**

"He's actually closer then he thinks," Pyrrha stated.

 **"Regardless," interrupted Cinder, showing them that she could hear them, "Roman Torchwick's instincts could be correct. If so, then maybe the angel incident could be real. Perhaps we can recruit this devil. After all, devils and angels never work together in the legends."**

No one believed her. Ren closed the book with a sigh, that was the most he talked in one sitting.

"Hang on for a few minutes, ok?" Trevor spoke up. "I need to re-calibrate a few things after an incident earlier. The less said the better." He then left the room and muttered. "I'm just glad that psychopath didn't mess with anything else."

Everyone understood and appreciated because some needed a break while others needed an opportunity to talk. Jaune got up and turned to his friends. "Could we talk for a few minutes guys? I don't need Ren or Nora." The male blonde said. Ren understood what he was going to do and nodded in respect. While dragged Nora away, mostly thanks to her new pet sloth.

The group of six walked down the hallway for a bit before they stopped. Yang spoke up first "Alright, what's this about, vomit boy?"

Jaune sighed and said, "Look, I know I'm not the smartest guy and I'll admit I'm probably the densest guy alive but even I can tell you all have a thing for me." The females blushed at such an accusation. Weiss opened her mouth to speak but was stopped by Jaune's raised hand. "Before you guys say anything, I want to get this off my chest first." Weiss closed her mouth, the girls wondered what he had to say. "I know you all are interested in me and I'm flattered but I have to know: Are you interested in me or Ryu-Long?" This startled the girls.

"Of course we are!" Pyrrha stated. "How can we not be?"

"That's just it." Jaune cut off. "You gain interest (besides you, Pyrrha) after we've been brought here. I'm worried if your feelings are genuine for me." None of the girls had a clue what to say to that. "And it's not just you, I need to figure out my own feelings for you all. Just one is something to think about but five? I need to think about that." He then sucked in a deep breath. "Not to mention the complications that'll come with it all." There was a pause. "Could think about all this before anyone does anything? This isn't a no but it's not a yes either. Alright?" The girls looked to each other before they nodded in agreement. "Thank you. Now, I'm going to go train." Jaune then headed off toward the training room they were shown earlier.

The girls headed their separate ways, they all had some serious thinking to do.

[Hr]

 **I am SO sorry this took so long. I was just lost on what to do and I . . . ugh! Words are hard. Writer's block is a monster.**

 **For the last bit, I decided to take a page what I read from Khor Evik Vlakhavlakh's** **reading The elemental swordsman. Thank you, Khor for ideas on how to handle harem romances cause I think I dug myself a deep hole here. Any and all help would be appreciated; reviews pointing out flaws, ideas on reactions, improvements, anything would be a big help.**


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